Tallinn Architecture Biennale Announces International Shortlist for Installation Competition

Courtesy of Estonian Centre for Architecture

The Tallinn Architecture Biennale has announced the shortlisted schemes for their 2019 Installation Programme Competition “Huts and Habitats.” 137 worldwide submissions were received for the two-stage competition, aimed at “offering emerging architectural talents the opportunity to design and built an experimental wooden structure in the heart of Tallinn.”

The competition asked participants to consider new technologies and design strategies related to Estonia’s rich history of timber construction. The winning proposal will be built in August 2019 in front of the Museum of Estonian Architecture to “promote synergy between emerging talents and industry,” and will be open to the public during the TAB Opening Week in September 2019.

Courtesy of SPORTS, one of the shortlisted teams. ImageRunaway / SPORTS

The firms who will proceed into the second stage of the competition are as follows:

Casey Rehm (USA)
CITA, str.ucture (Denmark/Germany)
Déborah López, Hadin Charbel, Patrick Donbeck (Thailand)
Ephemeral Architects (Australia/Japan/Chile)
Grimshaw (UK)
Jose Sanchez, Plethora Project (USA)
Manuel Jimenez Garcia (UK)
Raul Kalvo (Estonia)
SD. Igor Pantic. Fologram (UK)
SET Architects (Italy)
SomePeople (USA)
SPORTS (USA)

I am really excited with the 12 selected teams, it’s a really diverse sample of a current generation of cutting-edge young architects, with different ideas, tools and methods. I think we managed to get people who can really challenge the idea of the primitive hut – these are designers and thinkers that go beyond mere technique and can develop a deep conceptual response to the brief.
-Gilles Retsin, TAB 2019 Installation Programme Curator.

Bologna Shoah Memorial / SET. Image © Simone Bossi

The second stage of the competition will be judged by a distinguished jury composed of Philippe Block (ETH, Zurich; NCCR, Switzerland), Areti Markopoulou (IAAC, Barcelona) and Mihkel Tüür (Architect and co-founder of Kadarik, Tüür. Architects, Estonia). While only the winning scheme will be constructed, all second stage participants will be exhibited at the TAB Installation Programme exhibition.

The Tallinn Architecture Biennale will open on September 11th, 2019, with Dr. Yael Reisner as Head Curator.