Modelling Paldiski

work by Helen Rebane

Landscape architecture course for 2nd year architecture students- 22-24 september 2006

The aim of the introductional course was to open minds towards the environment and the surface that we are walking on – the landscape – and interpret it in models according to given themes.

Modelling helps to analyse the characters of the landscape’s different aspects. The idea of the modelling is similar to creative mapping – the process of searching for original materials and testing different ways of compatibility are already part of active imagination, not just rigid analyse. Students were encouraged to invent their own techniques for modelling. Materials have their own character and „message” that is not universal but unique.

The chosen place was Paldiski and especially the bastions from czar Peter I era. After the workshop at the site (tutored by Kalle Komissarov, Katrin Koov and Lilia del Rio) students were asked to make models for three themes – borders, voids, rhythms – of the site. After approval they had to make a final model/drawing with conclusions and give a landscaping idea for enhancing the site.

About results. The course was rich of original materials and self-expressions. Without going here into details we can find joyful, clever, elegant, fragile, thoughtful, systematic models. These models are speaking about students who were excitedly working.

Katrin Koov

work by Mari Hunt

work by Mari Hunt

Paldiski: Landscape + urbanism

Part of the course of landscape architecture, every year a workshop is being held. The habit is to go directly to the site and have a direct contact in the creation of landscape(s). This year the place was Paldiski, which was a former closed military city. Different from previous years was that together with students of architecture, the course was open to urban studies people. The rooms were provided by local municipality. In Paldiski we had bicycle excursions in the city and around the peninsular.

The purpose of the workshop was to find different ways to approach urban landscape and the method was named ‘prototypical’. Which meant, that students formed groups which each looked at one landscape topic such as: 1- geology, plants, climate; 2- new clear plant, pollution; 3- ports, infrastructure; 4- fauna; 5- industry, services; 6- build environment. Then they had to extract the strongest element of their topic and tune it to maximum. Landscape prototype should be seen in this context like any other prototype. Like for example in car industry, where prototypes are made to test certain characteristics and look at different performative aspects. Students were asked to concentrate only to their topic and make “no compromises”. In this way a bottom-up approach was tested, where particular landscape characteristics were enhanced.


6 Groups were mix of 2nd and 5th year students of architecture, to provide more internal discussion in the department. Chair of Urban Studies was represented successfully by two students. The course of landscape architecture is managed by Katrin Koov and the workshop was tutored by her and Kalle Komissarov. Guest critic was Lilia del Rio.

Time of the workshop: 22-24.09.2006
Nr of participants: 25

Text by Kalle Komissarov, photos by Tarmo Stöör