Tallinn Terminal

The project KULG proposes a new urban space in the heart of Tallinn harbour, where architecture and infrastructure merge to redefine the city's relationship with the sea. The intervention addresses the construction of the new Terminal A and its immediate surroundings, proposing an ensemble that balances functionality, fluidity and urban experience.

The architectural idea is based on a challenge: to reconcile the freedom and perceptible spaciousness of a large public space with the precision and control required by an international terminal. The main building is conceived as a light and transparent volume, with a rounded and timeless porticoed entrance leading to clear, comfortable and safe interior spaces. The design aims to intuitively guide the movement of travellers, favouring a logical and serene experience from boarding to arrival.

The new complex is not limited to the terminal building. It is designed as a fragment of a contemporary city, where the terminal, an office building, a car park and an urban landscape open to the public coexist. The outdoor space is articulated in squares, green areas and active zones that seek to make this enclave one of the most attractive areas in the centre of Tallinn. A linear promenade connects the terminal with the rest of the port, extending the urban experience towards the sea and the historic city itself.

The urban planning takes into account the arrival of the tram, the connection with the railway station and the future Rail Baltic, organising a clear, safe and conflict-free access network for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. The parking of tourist buses, taxis and cars is integrated below ground level or in specific volumes, freeing up the surface for public use and guaranteeing comfortable accessibility for all users, including people with reduced mobility.

Landscape architecture becomes an essential part of the project. The public space is conceived as flexible, capable of accommodating both everyday life and seasonal events and activities. Playgrounds, pergolas with vegetation, terraces along the canal and a careful strategy of trees enrich the experience of the promenade and open the city towards the sea.

In terms of construction, the complex combines contemporary and sustainable solutions: glulam and CLT structures, supported by steel and concrete where necessary, high-performance envelopes and roofs with integrated photovoltaic panels. All this to achieve the standard of a near-zero consumption building, optimising energy, comfort and indoor environmental quality.

KULG is not just a maritime terminal: it is a gateway to Tallinn, a new meeting place for travellers and citizens, a space where sea, infrastructure and city are intertwined in the same architectural gesture.