Kohtla-Järve Primary School

2024 / I prize / 5590 m2

Authors: Lisette Eriste, Gert Guriev, Karin Harkmaa, Markus Kaasik, Jana Pärn

Tangram is a competition entry characterized by a spatial play that integrates existing qualities and establishes new connections around it. The new space contrasts inversely with the existing environment, creating a renewed identity for the surrounding industrial landscape and the open-plan space.

The inspiration comes from the artificial hills surrounding Kohtla-Järve and the city’s industrial background. The school’s location appears to be at the center of a vortex, where strong horizontal longitudinal buildings define one axis, while smaller point buildings and public structures establish another. The common denominator in this urban fabric is the opportunity to unite all structures through a shared school space, with the school building serving as the final connecting element.

The location of Kohtla-Järve Primary School makes it a transformative addition to the existing environment. It is situated in the North district, where the built environment is dominated by large-scale residential apartment buildings within free-plan quarters. There is a pressing need to expand public spaces, strengthen social cohesion, and enhance green and blue networks.

Thus, a crucial southeast-northwest-oriented school park has been created to link the areas of Kohtla-Järve State Gymnasium and Kohtla-Järve Slavic School. This school park integrates public spaces and connects the North district with the Central district to the south. Another key element tying the urban fabric together is the green area of the artificial hills, which links Mõisa district to the west with Endla district to the east. Mõisa district, mainly a low-density residential area, leads to the ruins of Järve Manor, an important site for local identity.

The school building is designed to stand out from its surroundings. Its fluid form creates a unified space intertwined with the outdoor environment. The structure is carefully integrated into the existing urban fabric, ensuring architectural aesthetics through a new and intuitive architectural language. The design hints at Eastern philosophies, where harmony emerges through well-balanced spatial elements.

The roof forms an elegant arch on the main façade, emphasizing the entrance area. This entrance, featuring expansive glass surfaces, is shaded by a structural roof construction that provides solar protection. A void in the entrance rooftransforms into a waterfall during rainfall, directing rainwater from the roof downwards. A tree planted beneath this feature acts as a rainwater collector, managing stormwater for the entire entrance area. In addition to its practical function as a water collection point, this design element also introduces a distinctive and human-friendly dimension to the building.

The school building is a two-story, simple volume. Upon entering, the structure splits into two wings:

The building’s internal layout is designed with user experience in mind. It ensures a logical and comfortable environment for students, teachers, and community members.

Both primary school students and community members enter through the main entrance, while younger students have a separate entrance with their own cloakroom located next to the main entry.

Upon entering, visitors are welcomed by a spacious foyer, seamlessly integrating a library area that flows along the large glass façade. The foyer also connects to a stepped seating area and an integrated cafeteria and auditorium space, positioned both in front of and above the seating steps.