Zaha Hadid Architects has won a competition to design the new terminal for the Rail Baltic railway, a major continuous rail link in Northeastern Europe that will connect Tallin, Estonia to Warsaw, Poland, where it will then join the European high-speed rail that covers Western Europe. The Zaha Hadid Architects-designed terminal will be the starting point of the Rail Baltic Line to be located in Tallinn’s subdistrict of Ülemiste. Using modular construction and energy-efficient systems, the Ülemiste terminal will be designed to target BREEAM benchmarks and guidelines.
Created in collaboration with Estonian architecture firm Esplan, the competition-winning design for the Ülemiste terminal will serve as a multi-modal transport hub for commuters, national and international rail passengers and passengers transferring from the nearby Tallinn airport. As the starting point for the electrified cross-Baltic railway, which spans 870 kilometers north to south down to the Lithuanian-Polish border, the 10-hectare railway terminal will be a visually striking landmark defined by Zaha Hadid Architects’ signature undulating lines and a futuristic appearance.
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In addition to the smooth integration of bus, tram and rail lines that intersect at the terminus, the building will also double as a connecting public bridge used by the local community. The project will be built in phases using a modular structural system, and the structure will rely on natural light as the main source of light during the day. Construction on the Rail Baltic infrastructure begins this year and is slated for completion in 2026.
“I have been constantly informed about the developments in the Ülemiste area and in light of the works presented to the public today,” said Taavi Aas, Estonia’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure. “I am more than convinced that the area is becoming one of the most attractive and, in terms of infrastructure, synergistic in Tallinn. A true multi-modal transport hub is emerging, with rail, bus and air traffic coming together there in the future.”
Images via Zaha Hadid Architects and negativ.com
