Estonian Landscape Architects Union / public space 2018 winner
Landscape architecture
Edgar Kaare, Terje Ong (Maastikuarhitektuuribüroo TajuRuum)
Architecture
Arhitektuuribüroo BOA
Interior design
Lennuk Sisearhitektid
Completed
2017
Photos
Erge Jõgela

Jury commentary

The other TajuRuum’s project in Tartu – Naerumaa kindergarten – is spelling out the concept of cross-usage. We can only hope that the idea will take off and they will find a way also elsewhere to trust local children with the use of playgrounds constructed for kindergartens. The idea has spread at least with TajuRuum’s other projects – similar cross-usage logic is also employed in the public playground constructed near Mäetaguse school. Here, several types of usage have been assigned to the asphalt square that is suitable for rescue vehicle manoeuvres as well as youngsters with their outdoor activities. We also notice the same kind of spatial innovation as seen in Naerumaa  interesting relief in the children’s corner and humps sculpted in asphalt in the skatepark. 

Teele Nigola,

Eesti Maastikuarhitektide Liidu aastapreemia žürii liige

Vaata ka TajuRuumi projekte Annelinna kergliiklustee, Mäetaguse põhikooli välisruum, Teemanti park

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Why can’t I go to the kindergarten on Saturdays and Sundays, it’s so much fun there! I don’t want to be at home, I want to be with you every day. We have such good meals. Every evening the children complain that we come to fetch them too early, they don’t want to go home yet.
The children of Naerumaa kindergarten and their parents

Landscape architecture office TajuRuum designs outdoor spaces. The office mainly focuses on public and semi-public spaces such as parks, streets, squares and schoolyards, but we also deal with private gardens, outdoor areas around apartment buildings and factories etc. We provide solutions from design contest drafts to the operational building design stage. Each project is a challenge and we try to keep the range of topics as wide as possible.

Our daily work aims at increasing the quality of our living environment by wisely selected solutions. Our strength lies in the cooperation of various specialists, the inclusion of all parties and the resulting synergy. We believe in the power of collaboration and the contribution of various people. Each project is made-to-measure – we put together a team to tackle the particular challenges, select the respective means and solutions.

We regularly go in for design competitions to stay in shape and get interesting commissions. We also promote the field on a number of fronts – we teach at the university, talk and write about landscape architecture to the general public and we also participate in the work of professional association work groups.

Terje Ong