Straw Chapel. Photo: Jelena Rudi
’Reed’, ’Straw Chapel’, and ’Interspecies Crossing’ are newly opened and invite you to explore! The winners were selected out of 19 proposals submitted to the ’Place Buzz’ installation competition with the goal to enrich the Pollinator Highway with environmentally sensitive public art.
The installations highlight diferent sections of the Pollinator Highway by making the most of its existing space and the potential of its elements as well as turn the monotonous environments into more lively ones. One of our goals was to make the sections of the Pollinator Highway feel more like a whole. The installations provide more spatial variety while offering the locals attractive views, opportunities for activities and places to rest. The wider concept of the Pollinator Highway is to enhance urban biodiversity, green mobility and community-engagement.
The competition was led by the Tallinn Strategic Management Office Spatial Planning Team and the competition rules were completed in cooperation with the Pollinator Highway’s working group. The competition was based on the concept of the Pollinator Highway, the development strategy Tallinn 2035 and Tallinn’s values as the Green Capital of Europe 2023. The project was developed with the support of B.Green, a European Union project funded by the Interreg Central Baltic Program, which supports cross-border cooperation, sustainable urban mobility, and cohesive communities.
The installations will stay up until at least the end of 2023. Check out the locations and directions on the map (we recommend to take your bike!) and read more on our website.
‘Reed’
Triin Vallner (EKA Architecture and Urban Planning), Ko Ai
‘Reed’ consists of three consecutive installations on the Pollinator Highway. ‘Reed+Game’, ‘Reed+Buzz’ and ‘Reed+Pause’ are all made of the same material – reed. They are similar in form but use the building material in different ways. They offer a versatile spatial experience for visitors and a habitat for insects.
’Straw Chapel’
Eneli Kleemann, Katariina Mustasaar, Lill Volmer, Marie Anette Veesaar, Mia Martina Peil (EKA Architecture and Urban Planning students)
The Straw Chapel is a community pavilion that represents natural construction methods, community activities and spending time in nature. One purpose of the pavilion is to exhibit the potential of straw as a building material. The pavilion connects both the locals and the users of the Pollinator Highway, offering opportunities for organizing events, workshops, or for a rest during a long hike.
‘Interspecies Crossing’
Christian Hörner, Nabeel Imtiaz, Augustas Lapinskas, Paulina Schröder (EKA Urban Studies’ students)
‘Interspecies Crossing’ is a landmark built for the non-human inhabitants of Tallinn. It bridges the rupture in the Pollinator Highway by connecting the tree canopies on either side of Akadeemia Street, hinting towards the need for safe passage of non-human creatures. Prepared with a nutritional growth base for Lichen, the structure will evolve over time to act as a reminder that we humans share the space of our cities with other living beings in mutual responsibility and care.