Mänd: Annex to Estonia Theatre on Theatre Square Has Several Advantages

Tallinn's chief architect Andro Mänd told ERR that from the city's perspective, the option of building the annex to the National Opera Estonia on Theatre Square has several advantages. According to Mänd, this solution is likely to satisfy all parties involved.

"The city made this proposal precisely to find a solution that would suit everyone, and in my opinion, that's exactly what it is. Estonia will get the stage of the size it has been talking about all along. The historical and cultural value of the urban environment – its integrity, as well as the visual accessibility of the old building and the Estonian Drama Theatre – will be preserved. At the same time, we see that we could activate an area that is currently virtually unused," Mänd said.

He added that placing the auditorium there would significantly improve the quality of the city space and make the park more lively. Furthermore, the underground passage between the buildings could house cloakrooms and toilets, which are currently on the first floor, while the first floor could be used for, for example, a restaurant.

"A cloakroom on the first floor, occupying premium-class space, is to some extent wasteful," he noted. Mänd also mentioned that the annex could be connected to the underground parking of the Solaris shopping center.

Mänd emphasized that the city is not putting pressure on the Estonia Opera and is not demanding deadlines. On Wednesday, July 1, Estonia launched a tender for the development of spatial programs and analyses of volume-planning parameters for the future annex. The tender will explore three possible scenarios: an annex with a new hall and stage on the Uus Turg Square side, reconstruction of the existing hall and stage expansion while respecting heritage protection conditions, and construction of a new hall and stage on Theatre Square as a separate building connected to the current underground passage. For each solution, a spatial program, volume analysis, and architectural proposal with visualizations will be prepared, along with an assessment of their impact on public urban space.