Rolling hills to a Rainy and Reflective Vilnius

I had been to Riga, ironically before I had ever made it to Estonia in 2004 for ESTO, an International Estonian World Festival started in Toronto in 1972 as a way for original expat communities (including NY, Stockholm and Melbourne) to connect and preserve the Estonian culture and language while they country was still under Soviet power.  At this time whether one was going to be able to ever return to Estonia was unknown.  By 2004 it was a different world—and then of course after coming to Riga we took the bus up to Tallinn- for my first Estonian visit.

It was good to be back in Riga, ten years had passed….. but it’s always nice to go back to a place and have some kind of bearings. Like recognizing the pancake restaurant that my cousin and I went to and what was then almost the only tall building- the Radisson SAS (many have sprouted up since then) where I had my first ever mojito. It’s a strange thing what our memories of cities consist of…….

Check out some more of my photos from around Riga on my FLICK-Riga Album , including the pictures of the newly opened National Library of Latvia that resembles a mountain from Old Town from across the River.

I then headed on the bus down to Vilnius, Lithuania. Getting close to Vilnius, you could begin to see the topography changing--- meaning there was topography (Estonia and Latvia are both really flat)- starting with rolling hills in the country side that also worked their way into the city.

 

Besides never having been to Lithuania, I also had found this interesting project that opened in 2009 designed by  Audrius Ambrasas Architects : The Swedbank Headquarters building in Vilnius.  I’ve become interesting in finding different ways things can become multi-use and how buildings can allow for different perspectives, like roofs becoming public spaces. This image I saw looked amazing, and I wanted to see how it felt in person.

http://www.ensobaltic.com/reference1?id=20&k=2

Welll….. turns out it was raining pretty hard by the time I got to the bank building. Atleast it was about 20F warmer than it was in Tallinn at a temp pretty similar to Seattle on that day.

Not quite the same sunny experience of a rooftop urban space that you see in the picture, but it was still pretty amazing.  And before it really started pouring, there were people up there. (mind you it looks pretty dark out, but it was just after 16:00)


http://www.archdaily.com/45615/swedbank-office-audrius-ambrasas-architects/

The rain did make for some interesting reflections and also made you really appreciate having some cover to retreat to! The Terass itself didn’t offer much for cover but at entrances on both sides there were.  Not only does the Terass provide for some interesting public space with seating, vegetation and views out to the River it creates a nice flow up and around the building.

The exterior was a nice mix of metal, wood and glass in a balanced way that is often missed in highrise buildings.

Although I wasn’t able to see it, it seems like there are several effective daylighting techniques through lightwells, skylights and balanced vertical glazing.  The round skylights become an interesting design element both on the roof and down below.

http://www.archdaily.com/45615/swedbank-office-audrius-ambrasas-architects/15-r-urbakavicius/

I wasn’t able to explore too much of the interior, but there seemed to be some interesting spaces where several biophilic design patterns could be identified.

I’m glad I braved the rain and made it out to visit this project.  I’ll have more images up on the flikr album for Vilnius shortly…

What does your sense say in the darkness? The power of design and the Žanis Lipke Memorial Museum Latvia

Biophilic design was the topic that sparked my area of interest for my thesis topic and my research and process has consistently driven me to zoom in and out.  I have realized that it is all about understanding how we relate to the world around us- whether it is a natural environment or a built one.  Our senses play a major role in this, and much of the research done on biophilic design is also rooted in our sensory responses to our environment and their physiological and psychological impacts.  I believe that in understanding our sensory responses, design decisions can be made in a more comprehensive and holistic manner that not only impact the design effect, but also building design and performance.

 

It is amazing how the quickly design can transform your environment.  It can transform your mood and your being within seconds…. It is a powerful thing.

While in Riga I visited the Zanis Lipke Memorial located in Kipsala, an old fisherman and sailor’s settlement protected by the UNESCO World Heritage.  You find the museum through small signs that direct you down a cobblestone street looking into the backyards of houses.  At the end of the alley you are met with a dark wooden gate and little shed, with a simple buzzer that contacts museum staff to unlock the door.  Once opening the door and stepping in you are transformed into a completely dark space- a sliver of light runs along the ground edge and cracks of light come through the wooden planked walls.  You are no longer in Riga- a bustling city or even on the banks of the Daugava River.  This is like no other entry to a museum or memorial that I have ever been to and a feeling of uncertainty is quickly evoked.  

Your vision being limited, your other senses are heightened—you smell the tar on the wood siding and hear the wood planking creaking under your feet.  The path leads you around the corner to another closed door that in the darkness you are to open.  Waiting on the other side of the door is a member of the museum staff waiting to welcome you to the site where Latvian worker Zanis Lipke and his family risked their lives to save the lives of Jews during World War II by hiding them in a bunker they built under a shed in their backyard.  The more recognized history of Jews in Latvia during World War II are the atrocities and negative history.  The founders of the foundation and the museum want to make sure that the positive histories, stories of heroic deeds and those that survived thanks to them are also represented.

On Easter Day, 2000, revealing the memorial plaque by the house of Žanis Lipke, the Ex-President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga said:

“During the Second World War and the Nazi occupation the Jewish nation, as well as the Roma people and many others were stripped of their true worth as human beings. At the same time Žanis Lipke was guided by a different law, by a law that says to love thy neighbour as thyself. [..] It would be nice if this historical place could one day become a memorial place for the past generations with which we can be proud of, and if our children for generations to come as well as guests, could see, that evidence of a unique person, a unique event have remained here”.

The experience through the museum is self guided, through following your senses and listening to an audio guide for more information.  It begins by asking you to look into the glass in front of the stacks of charred firewood piled in the entry room.. look at your reflection and ask yourself what would you have done? And with that your journey through the museum continues…

You can read more about the museum on the museum website: Zanis Lipke Memorial 

The author of the artistic concept behind the memorial is Viktors Jasons, the architect Zaiga Gaile Birojs, project complete May 2013.

The memorials website provides more information about the architecture and museum design:

Zanis Lipke Memorial- Architecture , as does an article on the website e-architect 

 

Blogging

It’s hard to believe that I have less than a month left in my travels before heading back to Seattle.  I have to admit this “blogging” concept was fairly new to me and I think I am not used to quickly writing down thoughts and brief summaries. My brain works in a way that it tends to over complicated things—looking to create this vast web of connections so quickly getting summarized thoughts down in a blog is a challenge for me.  This became more evident to me when recently working with Hendrik and Francesco on a literature review on the benefits of daylighting in retail spaces.  The topic relates to my thesis research, but in a much narrower perspective.  It made me realize how broad and complex of a topic I am trying to cover with my research!

Now that I have a final whirlwind tour visiting several cities and regions (Riga-Vilnius-Western Denmark-Copenhagen-Helsinki-Pori-Oslo-Hamar-Aldval-Reykjavik-Stockholm) I aim to do some quick blogging in the remaining weeks. Enjoy!

MEKTORY. A long acronym forming a base for innovation.

MEKTORY stands for Modern Estonian Knowledge Transfer Organization For You. 

It is a facility located on the Tallinn University of Technology (TTÜ) Campus filled with labs, showrooms, studios, conference rooms, spaces and rooms sponsored by International Embassies, start-up studios, bee-hives and much more!  Open less than a year, the facility has already had over 29,000 visitors from 75 countries.  Hendrik Voll, Department Chair of Heating and Ventilation, former Valle scholar and my sponsoring academic while here in Estonia arranged for a tour of the facilities along with Francesco De Luca, a visiting associate professor from Italy.

Photo Rasmus Reino

Our tour guide Rasmus led us through the facilities, showing us the different rooms and equipment, many of which had great examples of biophilic design, but that alone is not what I found the most interesting.  Although MEKTORY in its physical form is the spaces for meeting and doing work, its intention is far beyond that— it is to make connections and allow for collaborations that don’t always exist in the academic world.  It sees no barriers between the high academic and school children- in fact they work and learn from each other in the labs. It is a place where science, technology and hands on making, exploration and inventing things is not scary or in a specific program, it is for everyone.  The facilities allow for and foster connections between the academic and business worlds, between Estonia and the international, between disciplines, and also between humans and nature.  It is also a component of a promoting innovation and technology in country known for it, where Skype, GrabCad, and Kazaa, all began.

The Economist along with others has even featured articles focused on Estonia’s leading role in technology. 

From their website, where you can also find more information, the aim of MEKTORY is:

1. To bring together scientists, students and entrepreneurs; solve practical product development problems and generate new intelligent ideas!
We have focused on three directions – design and product development, development of business models, and mobile services and media.
2. To tie theoretical studies at the university with the practical side to the maximum possible extent. To prepare better-trained engineers with an experience of cooperation with companies. 
3. To encourage students’ start-up companies to move forward. We have already held four business model competitions and dispatched the winners to global centres of technology! 
4. To deal with the upcoming generations and show that engineering is exciting, feasible and down to earth! Numerous possibilities have been created in the house for children.
5. To commit maximally to internationalisation, because these days, success is only guaranteed by combining different cultures, working habits, ideas and interesting solutions.

Photo by Hendrik Voll

And now for our tour…… 

P1470076 (Copy).JPG

As I mentioned MEKTORY is located on the TTU campus, located outside of the center of Tallinn and easy to get to by bus. (which is free for all residents of Tallinn)

Generally the spaces throughout MEKTORY can be categorized into Labs, Showrooms, Studios, Meeting and Seminar Rooms, and some other fun surprises.

LABS 

As you may or may not know, Estonia is sometimes referred e-estonia, which is referring to the digital society and infrastructure that exists in the country.  This means that many things that we may be used to requiring lots of time and physical presence can be done quickly and remotely (even internationally)- like voting, filing taxes (in just 5 minutes!), sign legal documents and more.  Some of the Labs that we saw are working with expanding existing e-systems or creating new ones, like  eHealthLab.

Similar to the stands at pharmacies where you can take your heart pressure and pulse, these stations would allow you to test certain vitals, but would also upload them to a central database that is linked to your medical documents and records. Not a replacement for going to the doctor, these “virtual clinics” could assist with preliminary tests and diagnosis.  The lab is also intended to help analyze and develop eHealth products and services including devices that help train doctors and surgeons.

Other Labs include your more standard metals, welding, wood and painting labs and also an Electronics Lab Cool Tools. 

This Cool Tool Lab is filled with Cool Tools that children or anyone can use to create things out of wood without fear of being cut or harmed by accidentally touching the device parts.

SHOWROOMS that we saw included the Samsung Digital Academy, sponsored by Samsung and the Robatorium.

The Samsung Digitial Academy gives a space for teachers (from the university and grade schools) to test out latest technologies and interactive teaching tools and for students working on developing programs and apps access to all the latest mobile devices to test their programs on.   

One of the other showrooms- The Robotorium is a universal testing environment to try out the abilities of robots for academic studies and product development.  There is also a space center encourage and bring awareness to space technologies and satellite applications.

STUDIOS 

Within MEKTORY there are several different types of studios- one designed by the Art Academy to demonstrate “everything necessary for human life in one space of 12m2” (also refered to as the bachelor pad) , and start-up studios that are designated to winners of the Mektory Business Model competition. These give students the chance to develop and market their innovations with the help of the university.  The physical transparency of the labs also act as a storefront to market their ideas to potential sponsors and funding that pass through MEKTORY.  Prismattery, the occupant of one of the Innovation labs, is a “spinoff” company specializing in the “design , engineering and manufacturing of custom battery packs” designed with specifics to meet the demands of different applications including electric vehicles, autonomous platforms, and in renewable energy components. Secured  3D is another one of the start up companies that focuses on creating software that protects your IP address when using 3D printers (where there is a large LAB for in the facility).  The Start-up Studio Innovative Technologies and Business Systems Lab (ITBS) are available to both students and other interested parties “who research and study human beings using contemporary means and methods”. 

MEETING SPACES

There are a variety of meeting, seminar rooms, work spaces, and kitchen space.  A unique and interesting component of the facility is that international embassies in Estonia sponsor some of the spaces not only creating an international connection, but also design variety that may be a taste of home for 1100 international students from 70 different countries attending the university.  Along with students having access to the rooms the embassies themselves will utilize the spaces for meetings.   Among these are a Japan, Chinese, British, and of course the United States space.  I was proud to see the flag of my home state, New Jersey, where President Ilves also grew up.  

One of the meeting rooms that appealed to me, demonstrating strong biophilic design patterns was the Ericsson Connectivity Room (sponsored by Ericsson).  Along with top of the line technology for meetings, it has images of nature on the ceiling and on window shades that are changed throughout the seasons.  Along with formal conference room seating there is also stepped seating along the windows with pillows.

Some of the projects and collaborations with corporations occurring in the facilities included looking at electrical car usage potential and promotion within Estonia together with Mitsubishi through data mining, research and looking at policy measures.  One lab has testing equipment that allows the monitoring, tracking and recording of a participant’s eye movements and focus used for looking at driving situations and also advertising.

Now for some of the other fun, unexpected spaces and details…..

Just down the hall from the Ericsson Connectivity Room is the “Botanical Garden”, designed together with the Tallinn Botanical Gardens, Nurban and Fagerhult an indoor green oasis with seating.  

This space is also the home of the Ericsson Connected Tree the merging of technology and nature—it is a tree that senses changes in the electromagnetic field around it and then communicates through its Tweets. It reacts to people’s (and also the resident dog) presence and movements by playing music, speaking and changing the lighting.

MEKTORY also has its own urban bee farm or “Rooftop Sweet Factory” along with video coverage of the hives that produce according to Rasmus a very sweet honey.

The stairs encourage usage—reminding you of the calories burned taking the stairs.

In the basement there is a forest corridor that transforms you from an otherwise mundane corridor to a forest…

That as Rasmus says in the video..

Leads to the room of utmost importance in Estonian culture.. the Sauna

After touring MEKTORY, Hendrik also took us to see the TTÜ Liginullenergia testhoone (Nearly zero energy Test Building) which the same as MEKTORY was opened last year.  Complying with passive building requirements this research-oriented prototype contains various technologies that can be used separately or in combination to test various building heating and cooling solutions and strategies.  These include ground thermal pump with spiral and horizontal collectors, air-water thermal pump and air-air thermal pump.   The heating and ventilation systems also include elements of heat recovery and various methods of solar heating for water including a plate collector and evacuated solar tubes.  Various external wall assemblies were used for demonstration and testing.

It is amazing that these facilities just opened a year ago…it will be exciting to see what great things come from them!

See more images from our tour and the University campus at my FLICKR Album : 

 Tallinn University of Technology has one of the two architecture programs in the country, the other being at the Estonian Academy of Arts.  The Architecture School is within the Faculty of Civil Engineering which houses the Departments of Architecture and Urban Studies, Building Production, Environmental Engineering, Logistics, Mechanics, Road Engineering, and Structural Design.  The University offers 23 full time degree programs in English.  The degree programs do not include architecture, but include programs within Economics and Business Administration, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering.

Find out more information at the following links:

Tallinn University of Technology

MEKTORY

Tartu. „a city of good thoughts“ and turns out great architecture.

One of the projects that I had been wanting to check out after seeing in several magazines and people recommending it is the Tartu Nature Building. Tartu, besides being Estonia’s second largest city (population of 98,449 with a total area of 15 sq mi. Tallinn has 432,012 and is 62.5 sq mi) is also known as the intellectual capitol of Estonia, being the location of Tartu Ülikool (University of Tartu). It is one of the oldest universities in Northern Europe, established by King Gustav Adolphus of Sweden in 1632.  The city itself has a long history,  first settled in the 5th century and having city rights before 1262.  It is filled with parks, walks lined with trees and nestled in by a slight bend in Ema Jõgi (River).  While the leaves are still in their peak of change, I thought I better head over and check it out! So mid last week I headed to the bus station for the apx. 2 hour busride across the beautiful country side to Tartu.

Besides seeing the fall colors, I had the goal of visiting the Nature Building- both which did not disappoint- the sun even came out for a little bit. What came as a big suprise to me is how much great new architecture has been built since I last visited the city, probably in 2007.  They aslo provided many great examples of biophilic design.  Having come to the city in search of the one great building case study- I found several and I probably even missed some! The Nature Building will have its own indepth case study, but here I will provide and overview of these 9 buildings built in Tartu since 2007.  Of course I also have to include the unique building typology of any Estonian city- the lauluväljak- or festival (song) field although this was built much earlier, in stages from 1989-1994.

These 10 buildings are scattered throughout the city and designed by 8 different architectural offices, interestingly at least half of the projects started as competitions.All but Atelier Thomas Pucher and Bramberger are Estonian architects.

Compared to Tallinn (with the exception of Toompea) Tartu has a more topographical variation (in the case of the EMU Sportshall was created), which several of these projects responded to in very interesting architectural ways.

Parts of the buildings were burrowed into the site 

Whereas some were raised up from the site

The site was also carved out

Bridging was used both through landscape bridges and building extensions as connectors.

Vegetation in various forms connected the inside and outside of buildings

New terrains inviting exploration were created- both through landscapes and architectural elements

Windows became fun elements dynamic elements to play with and that played with light.

Finally Tigitorn- Snail Tower became the totem by which you could orient yourself almost anywhere in the city.

Tartu offers a lot to explore, and left me surprised with the quality of interesting new projects to be found there. Below find links (by clicking on project or architect name) to websites featuring the projects with more information on the buildings , drawings and images and also to architectural firm webpages.  

You can find some more images from around Tartu and also more building images in albums on my Flickr page. (click on titles). 



 1-Tartu Nature Building, KARISMA Architects. 2013.          

2-Tartu Kesklinna School Extension. Salto AB. 2007.

3- Sports Hall of the Estonian University of Life Sciences. Salto AB. 2009.       

4-Kindergarten Lotte. Kavakava Architects. 2008.

5-Tartu University. Health Care College, Kavakava Architects. 2011.       

6-Tartu Rebase Street. Atelier Thomas Pucher and Bramberger. 2008.

7-Snail Tower. Künnapu  & Padrik Architects. 2008.

8-Tartu University, Institute of Physics. Kadarik Tüür Arhitektid OÜ. 2014.

 9- Tartu Perekodu Käopesa (Orphanage Family Homes). Rein Murula Architects.  2011.

 10- Tartu Lauluväljak. Roman Smuskin.Tartu, Estonia. 1989-1994.

And of course some videos!


   

"Not working against the forest, but with it" Kellasalu|Arvo Pärt Centre International Architectural Competition

In November 2013, an International two-stage architectural design competition for the buidling of the Arvo Pärt Centre to be located in Laulasmaa, Estonia approximately 20 miles West of Tallinn was announced. The open first stage asked for qualifications and the invited second stage included an international selection of 20 architects, with 18 final submitted entries.

Not quite your typical architectural competition brief, this video represents the special nature of this project well.  More than a third of the video is dedicated to a drone video recording of the project site on a peninsula by the sea covered in pine forest to Pärt’s music.  This reinforces the jury and foundation’s desire that the project „not work against the forest but with it“ and an understanding and translation of Pärt’s music. 


Tabula model entry

Tabula model entry

Diagrammatic Plan

Diagrammatic Plan

In June, the winner was announced by President Toomas Hendrik Ilves as Project entry „Tabula“ by Spanish architects Fuensanta Nieto and Enrique Sobejano.  In the end of August I joined a group guided tour of an exhibition of all the competition entries at the Museum of Estonian Architecture in Tallinn lead by Michael Pärt, son Arvo and Nora Pärt, who acted as  the chairmand of the jury and is also the Chairman of the Board of the Arvo Pärt Center.

Michael Pärt, son Arvo and Nora Pärt, leading tour through competition entries

Michael Pärt, son Arvo and Nora Pärt, leading tour through competition entries

It was an insightful tour, not just as a walkthrough of the entries but into the the thought process of jury and in understanding the goals of the Centre. They unanimously had agreed on the winning entry early on and most of the debate had been between the order of the 2nd and 3rd prizes.  Having a strong idea and concept that drove the project design, but was flexible enough that required changes would not destroy the overall project  vision was a strength of the winning project and a means through which Michael Pärt discussed the merits or restraints of the projects.  For example a programmatic change, either in size or location that the jury identified would be needed could completely transform a scheme- making the project not hold up.  In this way, Tabula offered a very flexible clear solution based on geometric patterns that could be adjusted.  The conversations of the tour varied from design concept execution to practical matters such as materiality and roof designs collecting or shedding all the pine needles that will fall on the site.

Tabalu entry boards

Tabalu entry boards

Images from http://www.dezeen.com/2014/07/01/nieto-sobejano-arvo-part-centre-estonia/

The Jury’s assessment lists the most important criteria that the jury was considering as:

  • the symbolic value of this small but important memorial establishment, which should be iconic in a humble way
  • the suitability to the surrounding environment and opportunities for direct contact with nature
  • the practicality, functional interaction and flexibility of the room layout
  • sufficient daylight, especially in the workrooms within this generally shady forest environment
  • the solution of the auditorium, to be a magnet aesthetically as well as acoustically

As an architecture student where so much of what we do in school is dependent on your ability to communicate your ideas through drawings, images and models it was interesting for me hear critique on the competition entries through an owner and jurors perspective.

Additional Information and Resources

See some more images from the tour :

A full jury’s report and assessment with comments on all projects   

Competition information on the Architect’s Union website

The models of the projects were just as varied and interesting as the projects--- images of all of them can be found on the Arvo Pärt Centres webpage along with a wealth of information on the Centre.

Write ups by international architecture online magazines can be found here

Dezeen

ArchDaily

Polli Talu outing to Matsalu National Park August 16, 2014

On Saturday we broke from our normal routine for an outing and saun in the evening.  We drove around the area with our guide Peeter Vissak with Estonian Nature Tours who showed us areas in and around the Matsalu National Park-Nature Reserve.  The National Park is one of the most important wetland bird areas in Europe located along the East Atlantic Flyway.  We started the day with a rainbow over the Viita Coastal Meadows and were able to mostly avoid the rain.

We visited the Viita coastal meadows, Keemu Sadam and look out tower, Näärikivid, Salevere hiking trail in Salumäe, and took a boat ride through the Matsalu reeds. The area is a rich habitat for animals and migrating birds.

Of course there were some towers to climb, and we took a boat out through the Matsalu reeds.

PolliTalu (95).JPG

The Salevere Matkarada (Hiking Trail) is an archaeologically and geologically significant area.  It has a history of human habitation traced bak to 5,000 years! I agree with what our tour guide Peeter said, I don’t know if it makes a difference, but I like it.  The Salevere Salumägi, Grove Hill, is a limestone hill hat is part of the Siluri Klint that stretches to Gotland, Sweden.  Archaeological remains indicate that the hill was used as a fort from 360-50 BC and for agricultural uses from the 3rd to 13th century AD.

Photos

Explore some more photos of from our day trip on flickr-PolliTaluOuting 

Videos

Links

Some more information on Matsalu National Park can also be found here:

Matsalu National Park 

Salevere Hiking Trail

itadakimasu_Polli Talu (Polly’s Farm) Wellness Retreat near Virtsu, Estonia August 13 – 19, 2014

„itadakimasu” is a Japanese phrase said before eating to express gratitude for all who played a role in bringing the food to be in front of you, from cultivation, preparation and serving as well as acknowledging the living organisms that are part of the meal.  As a group we would say this before starting our meals and it also ties into the part of the message of this retreat related to food- it’s not just what we eat, but how we eat it.

Partially by chance, and thanks to Facebook and my ema (mom, who is not on facebook) I found out about the Passion, Purpose and Pleasure Wellness Retreat happening at Polli Talu Arts Center starting the day after the Architecture in Scandinavia group program ended.  I thought what better way to transition from a fairly intense two month group travel to a following 4 month independent study. It also gave me a rare opportunity to spend a week in a traditional Estonian farm.

View of Estonian landscape from bus window

View of Estonian landscape from bus window

I flew to Tallinn from Copenhagen leaving the group in the early in the morning, arriving in Tallinn to quickly repack and take the bus a little less than 100  miles southwest of Tallinn to Virtsu Sadam. Here typically you continue on by ferry to the island of Saaremaa, but that day I was picked up by a local guy who acts as the taxi service to Polli Talu where I joined a group of eight Estonians, Americans and Finn.  

View of Polli Talu (Polly's Farm)

View of Polli Talu (Polly's Farm)

The Polli Talu Arts Center, International Center for the Visual, Performing and Healing Arts is a registered non-profit organization that was started by Marika Blossfeldt after purchasing the farm in 1995. The site and farm buildings were in need of extensive restoration, along with the addition of new buildings to bring it to the functioning Center it is today.  The process of restoration, adaptive reuse and expansion of this traditional Estonian farm complex dating back to the beginning of the 20th century is an amazing story in itself, and much of it along with photos can be found here: Polli Talu Restoration Process

In order to do much of the work, a local crafts person trained local young men in traditional building techniques including that of wood log construction and thatched roofs.  They have now continued on to do work throughout the Nordic and Baltic countries.

At Polli Talu we had a regular routine, except for when we had a day trip to the Nature Reserve, one that I quickly missed once returning to the hustle and bustle of Tallinn.

Marika leading our cooking class in the kitchen of the Main House

Marika leading our cooking class in the kitchen of the Main House

We would start our day with water (warm or room temperature) and Kundalini Yoga followed by breakfast and free time to relax, go ride a bike or walk in the surrounding areas or have a massage or reiki treatment.  As a group we worked together through the cooking class to prepare our three course lunch, including dessert. In the afternoon we had a lecture on nourishment, health and wellness followed by a breath walk and dinner.  In the evening we had some more free time and an evening meditation.

Yoga-Dance Studio

Yoga-Dance Studio

Breakfast outside

Breakfast outside

Walking out to the water

Walking out to the water

The lectures on a range of topics related to health and wellness from food preparation, the digestion process, metabolisms, fats, oils and sugars and creating health, personal and work goals were given by Marika in both Estonian and English.  I opted for the Estonian lectures, and aside from some technical terms, I think I was able to follow most of it!  A portion of the information along with recipes is also available in her first cookbook Essential Nourishment: Recipes from My Estonian Farm  (click on title for more info):

​ Her new book is just going to print!

I left Polli Talu relaxed and refreshed, having made news friends and taken home the reminder that it’s not always the what, but the how. Something that applies not only to nutrition and eating but to architecture and the everyday.  

While there I also did some sketching-

As an endnote I have to add that in small Tallinn I have twice run into Marika on the street :)

Explore some more photos of Polli Talu and some of the fantastic food that we had there on flickr-PolliTalu 

Videos

Some videos taken during the retreat:

Ant hill on Salevere Hiking Trail

Matsalu Reeds in Estonia 

Rain on thatched roof

Cat eating herring

Links

Some links with more information:

Information on the Retreat 

Polli Talu Arts Center

Restoration of Polli Talu 

Matsalu National Park

Tealemetree Workshop in Hyytiälä, Finland_2

Tealemetree *

* Tea = a traditional beverage made from steeping the processed leaves, buds in water.

Telemetry = The word is derived from Greek roots: tele = remote, and metron = measure.

Tree = There is no universally recognized precise definition of what a tree is, neither botanically nor in common language.

16 people from varied backgrounds + # tealemetree tables + tea cups + hot water + forest as a lab = many interesting explorations and discussions.

How do you see the world around you?

How do you see the world around you?

It amazed me the variety of explorations and dialogues that could be prompted by the simple addition of some table into the forest along with teacups, hot water and a bag of measurement tools.  

After getting introduced to each other, we were introduced to the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station and SMEAR (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmospheric Relations) and some of the measurement techniques and devices that they have.  

IMG_2271 (Copy).JPG

I went into this weekend not quite knowing what to expect, leaving the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station with a glimmer of insight into a very special and unique place.  The SMEAR Station (and the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station have already began a unique exchange within the discipline of science also openly sharing their recordings, tests and research.  The trans-disciplinary exploration and dialogue continued and expanded through the Tealemetree Workshop and the addition of artists and designers.

P1440586 (Copy).JPG

Tough questions were asked and explored that were relevant to all fields—how do we establish value? ideas of objectivity and subjectivity and how they impact our work. 

P1440281 (Copy).JPG

As part of the project Agnes had already prepared a tealemetree station that monitored, recorded and translated the steam from tea cups and had placed tables in the forest to create our own tealemetree stations in groups.

My tealemetree station partner Aino and I among other things explored how things are classified—how are categories determined by both easy to measure and more objective terms, creating a new system- Systema Naturae 2.0 that also serve as table decoration and prompt tea time conversation and activity. We all shared our explorations and had continued dialogue during the tea exchanges.

Conversations continued in the Sauna and at the bbq along the lake and in the sauna kuta.

I was also able to visit the Orivesi Church (1961) designed by Heikki Siren and part of the original wooden church, although unfortunately only from the outside.

P1440262 (Copy).JPG

Besides enjoying the opportunity of being immersed in Finnish nature, (literally jumping in the cold Lake Kuivajärvi) I left seeing how important these types of trans-disciplinary workshops are for not only for understanding the work that others are doing, but for your own.  The workshop created dialogue and understandings between people working side by side at the station that may not have previously really had the opportunity to explore and have fun with what the others did.  The reaches of what I experienced and learned will go far beyond this weekend.

See some more images from the weekend on my flickr page

and also listen to the silence of the Lake Kuivajärvi.

and see a video of a thermal camera image of tea pouring

Some additional links: Tealemetree website , Biofilia @ Aalto University, Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station, and info on the SMEAR Station

 

 

Tealemetree Workshop in Hyytiälä, Finland

I am off to Helsinki to attend the Tealemetree Workshop that is part of the Climate Whirl Project being led by artist Agnes Meyer-Brandis (http://www.ffur.de)! I was very excited and honored to be accepted as one of the 15 participants of the workshop. I am not quite sure what to expect, but I am excited to partake in the project, meet some new and interesting people and spend some time in the Finnish woods!

Photo from http://www.ffur.de/tealemetree

Photo from http://www.ffur.de/tealemetree

The following information is also taken from the projects webstite at http://www.ffur.de/tealemetree

University of Helsinki / Department of Forest Sciences and Department of Physics, Capsulaand Institute of Art and Subjective Scienceinvites students and professionals of science, life sciences, arts, design, crafts and architecture for a three day workshop inHyytiälä Forestry Field Station, Hyytiälä, Finland 29th - 31st August 2014.
The workshop will be lead by internationally awarded artist Agnes Meyer-Brandis from Berlin, Germany.

Workshop Outline 
The workshop starts as an expedition into the forest and the SMEAR Research Station in Hyytiälä, in central Finland. It continues as a journey into the soil, into the trees, into the clouds and the hovering matter in between, finally leading the participants into the realm of smallness.We will investigate the experiments and data production archieved at the forest-research station of Hyytiälä. We will develop our own experiments and take samples of the invisible. On the way we will collect berries, data, aerosols and questions and try to trade and communicate them. As this communication ideally would be mutual between the harvesters and the harvested we might have to develop new languages. Beside that we are going to have a tea with a tree.

 

The workshop is part of ongoing "Climate Whirl project" and has been supported by Kone Foundation, University of Helsinki, Aalto Biofilia and Institute of Art and Subjective Science.

Climate Whirl is a collaborative project by Department of Forest Sciences and Department of Physics (University of Helsinki), Simosol Oy and Capsula.

Climate Whirl is a dialogue between science, art, education and software design. It aims at introducing a holistic view on climate and ecosystem research and to increase public awareness on the interactions between climate and forests, as well as on the role of boreal forests in climate change.

Taasiseseisvumispäev | Restoration of Independence Day

I returned to Tallinn in time for a National Holiday on August 20th, Taasiseseisvumispäev or the Restoration of Independence Day.  This marks the day when in 1991 Estonia declared formal independence from the Soviet Union during the Soviet military coup attempt in Moscow, reconstituting the pre-1940 state. This was a day that many, both in Estonia and abroad feared may never come and is still fresh in many peoples minds as something not to be taken for granted. A more detailed history of the day and the events leading up to it can be found here http://estonianworld.com/life/estonia-celebrates-the-day-of-restoration-of-independence/

 President Toomas Hendrik Ilves on this day said,

 “Today Estonia celebrates 23 years since the restoration of independence. A free people in a free country. Today, this is no small feat. Restoration of independence did not just fall in our laps. Our success came from long preparations and debates by a re-emergent civil society.”

IMG_2110.JPG

The Estonian flag, striped blue black and white holds great importance to the Estonian people. The even bands of color symbolize the blue of the sky, the black of the rich soil and the white representing purity of the heart, hard work and commitment. During the times of Soviet Occupation, flying of the flag or a display of the colors was illegal.  According to the Estonian Flag Act, along with the Day of Restoration, the flag should be hoisted in residential, commercial and office buildings on Independence Day (Vabariigi aastapäev - February 24) and Victory Day (Võidupüha- June 23). There are also several other established flag days on which the flag can be flown at locations other than those where they can be permanently hoisted.   Permanent brackets to hold flag can be seen on many apartment buildings as in the picture above of my aunt’s apartment building where I am staying while in Tallinn.

P1440075_edited.jpg

Pikk Hermann or Tall Hermann is a 45m tall stone tower of Toompea Castle next to the Estonian Parliament Building.  On December 12, 1918 the Estonian flag was first raised as a national symbol on top of Pikk Hermann and is now raised each day at sunrise (but no earlier than 7 am) and lowered at sunset (but no later than 10 pm).  I remember my grandmother having a photograph-poster of Pikk Hermann up on her wall and it was brought great pride when the flag was flown from the tower again. More history of the tower and complex can be found here: http://riigikogu.ee/index.php?id=37659.

IMG_2127.JPG

To celebrate a concert was held on Harjumägi or Harju Hill right behind Vabaduseväljak or Independence Square. Well known Estonian singers sang Estonian and patriotic songs to the music performed by the Defence Orchestra to a large crowd despite the rain.

P1440061_edited.jpg

After the concert I walked up Harjumägi towards Toompea to this memorial marking this day 23 years ealrier.

The sign read

„Estonia’s road to freedom from the decades long occupation by the Soviet Union was complicated adn full of hazards.  On 18 January 1991, after the bloody events in Vilinus and Riga, all access roads to Toompea were blocked with boulders and concrete blocks.

On 20 August 1991, during the attempted coup d’etat in Moscow, The Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia passed a resolution about the state sovereignty of Estonia.  The Republic of Estonia was restored without bloodshed and casualties.

This boulder was one of the blocks on the road to Toompea. It was turned into a memorial in August 1993."

P1440077_edited.jpg

Just around the corner from the monument is the entry to the Estonian Parliament Building- the Riigikogu where Estonian independence was voted on and declared.  The building was designed by architects Eugene Haberman and Herbet Johanson and was inaugurated in 1922.

(http://jaaknilson.photoshelter.com/image/I0000mYzw7s8MW8A)

(http://jaaknilson.photoshelter.com/image/I0000mYzw7s8MW8A)

An aerial view of the complex by Jaak Nilson.