Danish architecture firm Cobe has announced a new project to transform the historic 'Krulli' steelworks, a large-scale former industrial site in Estonia's capital, into a mixed-use city district. The strategy for the project is developed to optimize for material reuse, as materials, components and even entire buildings have been evaluated for their potential to be reintegrated into the scheme. This way, the decommissioned industrial area provides the foundation for an innovation hub, maintaining its history while adapting to the necessities of modern workspaces and city life.

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The 'Krulli' steelworks, dating back to 1899, represented an important industrial facility in Tallinn. However, in recent years, the site has remained vacant, only hosting temporary activities within its abandoned structures. This new initiative aims to reimagine the area, introducing a mixed-use functionality focused on entrepreneurial communities and start-ups. The development will also provide 600 new homes in addition to its extensive workspace offerings.

The strategy involves the repurposing of materials and components at both small and large scale, thus maintaining the local identity and history of the site. Three industrial heritage halls will be transformed into an innovation hub, hosting co-working spaces, cafes, shops, and artist studios. To develop this strategy, the existing building structures, materials, and components have been mapped and evaluated for their feasibility. The halls are set to be complemented by additional office spaces constructed from timber and arranged in a checkboard pattern that infills the existing structures. Existing limestone walls, concrete columns, panels, foundations, and steel trusses are re-used, ensuring the preservation of the historical facades and minimizing carbon impact. The industrial cranes will be transformed into bridges connecting the three halls horizontally.

We firmly believe in urban transformation and in reusing what already exists. In the context of climate change and resource scarcity, the most sustainable and meaningful project will always be the one that is already built. Following this principle, the Krulli site is a treasure box of materials, buildings, and urban qualities just waiting to be transformed and reused. The project prioritizes ambitious reuse goals that make both environmental and economic sense, forming the foundation of the Krulli identity. A 'resource stair' approach establishes a hierarchy for all materials found on site and any new additions. Reuse is always the highest priority, followed by biogenic materials, and then re-usable materials, leaving carbon-intensive concrete as the last choice. - Cobe founder and professor at Harvard University, Dan Stubbergaard

Cobe was tasked with the project at the start of 2023 and has since crafted a comprehensive master plan for the former Krulli steelworks site. This plan includes specific transformation projects as well as conceptual designs for the landscape and public spaces. A central feature of the plan, the innovation hub, is now in the detailed design phase and is projected to be completed by 2027. Cobe's approach revisits and expands upon a 2021 master plan developed for the area by Estonian architect Andres Alver.

Over the past few years, modern industrial heritage has emerged as an invaluable resource for cities. While its functionality is often obsolete, the sites, buildings, and infrastructures have proven to have the potential to be transformed into attractive new areas for residents, without losing their layered history. On this note, BIG and SCAPE have recently announced plans to transform Connecticut's decommissioned coal-fired power plant into a public-oriented development as a hub for learning. Similarly, MAD Architects has unveiled the project for the renovation of a former warehouse into a space for culture, while RSHP Proposed the transformation of Victorian gasholders into a mixed-use residential hub in London.