#9 DISSIDENCE THROUGH ARCHITECTURE
The papers, exhibitions and buildings of the Tallinn school in Estonia
Why the talk is inspiring?
The Conversation is chaired by
INES WEIZMAN
In May, 1978, the laconically entitled ‘Architectural Exhibition 78’, displaying the work of 14 architects/ artists/designers, opened in the foyer of the Academy of Sciences library in Tallinn. The participants – retrospectively named the Tallinn School – showed works that were rather exceptional in the context of an architecture exhibition: a proposal for a burial ground for the leading members of the Architects’ Union, a photograph of a disused steel container titled “a monument”, a design of a house for Dr Benjamin Spock, an “exhibitionist structure”, a concept of Invisible Architecture, a series of wedding photos of the participants themselves.
The show was used as a platform for presenting a criticism of inflexible building regulations, Soviet mass construction, standardization and modernist urban planning, and to launch a public dialogue on the role of architecture in the society and the cultural sphere.
This talk will discuss the practices of the Tallinn School of architects throughout the 1970s and in early 1980s, ranging from walks and happenings in abandoned urban areas to films, slide-shows and drawings, attempting to use contemporary art for organizing the environment and implement it as a critique of the institution of architecture. It will also discuss the changing position of these architects vis a vis the official architectural establishment over these two decades.
2013
Speaker
Vilen Künnapu, Andres Kurg
How the speaker is exceptional?
(Tallinn)
Architect and artist, born in Tallinn in 1948. Graduated from the Estonian Academy of Art in 1971. Is the author of numerous fascinating buildings, has won, together with architect Ain Padrik, many awards at international competitions ( Arctic Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland, 1984: West Coast Gateway, Los Angeles, 1988). From 1992 firm Künnapu and Padrik together with Ain Padrik ( Estonian Methodist Church, 1994; Hotel Radisson SAS, 1999; Viru Centre, 2004 in Tallinn; Snailtower 2008 in Tartu). Has published articles in various magazines, which were put together in the books “ Across the Red River” in 2001; “Temples and Towers” in 2007; “Place. Image. Energy” in 2010. Has been a guest lecturer at universities in Scandinavian countries, Great Britain and Switzerland. 2006-2007 was professor in Tartu University (faculty of philosophy), 2005 participated in Taiwan Design Expo, 2006 and 2008 participated in Venice Biennale of architecture, 2010 participated in London Festival of architecture. He is currently teaching architecture at the Tallinn College of Engineering and is running firm Künnapu & Padrik.
RECOMMENDS TO READ
ÜLE PUNASE JÕE : VALITUD TEKSTE 1972-2001 / ACROSS THE RED RIVER : SELECTED TEXTS 1972-2001
Vilen Künnapu
Why the book is worth reading?
This book is about spaces around us – things, thoughts, events (or lack of them), and figures floating in them. Although we can call these space metaphysical, they are still an experience of one person, an illusion seen through an individual eye. However, this book is also about a desire for space that would be pure and universal for all.
RECOMMENDS TO READ
The Concise Dictionary of Modern Architecture. Photographs 1974-1986
Jüri Okas
Why the book is worth reading?
A conceptual book of photographs representing the visual-cultural context of the group of young architects working in Tallinn in the 1970s and 80s.
