after an international contest, madrid and berlin-based firm nieto sobejano arquitectos was chosen to complete the arvo pärt centre in estonia, beating out proposals from AZPML and zaha hadid architects, among others. situated in the village of laulasmaa, 35 kilometers from tallinn, the structure contains an archive of estonian composer arvo pärt’s work — providing a research and learning environment for cultural education.



all images by roland halbe

located on a peninsula and surrounded by pine trees, nieto sobejano’s design responds to its natural setting with a relatively low-lying structure. with trees puncturing its roof canopy, the arvo pärt centre covers an area of 2,350 square meters, containing the archive, a library, a 150-seat chamber hall, an exhibition area, a video hall, classrooms for cultural education, and work spaces for staff.

according to the architects, their design was inspired by the silence and geometry of arvo pärt’s music, creating a balance between the modern architectural form and the natural environment. besides the archive and employees’ work spaces, the building features several courtyards and no right angles with a design originating from a geometric pattern formed by pentagonal patios. variations of the size and position of the same generate spatial sequences that configure the different areas of the plan.

the interior space is structured around a wall—a boundary within whose thickness are housed much of the facilities, in addition to serving as a dividing element between the public and private areas of the building. in the exterior, a single element highlights the architectural proposal: a large roof conceived as a folded platform to adapt to the different heights required in the interior.

the facades are treated as a filter defined by a series of thin circular columns that make up the supporting structure of the roof. the greater or lesser density in the arrangement of the pillars allows for alternate areas of great transparency with others more protected from the natural light. a slender helical observation tower and a small chapel inserted in one of the patios, complete a project in which music, landscape and architecture come into resonance.