The new Estonian National Museum occupies an old runway of a former Soviet airbase located near the city of Tartu. The glass, box-shaped building, designed by Paris design firm Dorell Ghotmeh Tane (DGT), is scheduled to open next October and allow visitors a first glimpse of its gallery spaces, conference hall, public library, auditoriums, and educational spaces.


Estonian National Museum, Soviet architecture, Estonia, Dorell Ghotmeh Tane (DGT), exhibition spaces, auditorium, public library, conference hall, green architecture, triple glazing, natural light, glass facade

The monolithic building sits on a site which was part of the Raadi Manor area, owned by an aristocratic family of German descent. In 1940, a large part of the property was used to build a Soviet air base. Fifty years later, DGT’s design is expected to restore the area’s cultural significance while referencing its turbulent history.

Estonian National Museum, Soviet architecture, Estonia, Dorell Ghotmeh Tane (DGT), exhibition spaces, auditorium, public library, conference hall, green architecture, triple glazing, natural light, glass facade

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The 350-meter-long (1148-feet) building acts as an extension of the airfield, creating a gentle slope that references the nation’s departure from its part to a better future. The facade, clad in triple glazing, offers views of the surrounding landscape and the adjacent Raadi Lake, and allow indirect natural light to reach some of the north-facing exhibition areas and public spaces.

+ Dorell Ghotmeh Tane Architects

Via Dezeen

Photos by Takuji Shimmura