Today, the first cornerstone has been laid at Zaha Hadid Architects' new terminal, marking the start of construction works for the Ülemiste Passenger Terminal in Tallinn, Estonia. Zaha Hadid Architects won the competition in 2019 to design this transport hub, serving as a multi-modal transport hub for city commuters, international rail passengers, and air travelers using the adjacent Tallinn Airport. Set to open in 2028, the hub has been designed to unite various districts of the city, currently divided by railway tracks, and will act as a connecting bridge for the city.
Tallin’s Ülemiste terminal will be the northern terminus of the new 870-kilometer Rail Baltica electrified railway, which will connect Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with the European high-speed rail network in Poland. Designed in collaboration with leading Estonian architecture firm Esplan, the transport hub aims to aid navigation and seamlessly integrate Tallinn’s bus, tram, rail, and cycle networks. In fact, the terminal will feature a modular structural system, allowing ongoing rail operations throughout its phased construction timeline.
Providing Estonia with a fast connection to Europe, this development will also affect Tallinn’s people and its economy. According to Magda Kopczynksa, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility, “Rail Baltica is a European, Baltic, and Estonian project. The Baltic States must be connected to the European rail network to ensure supply chain security, comfortable travel, economic development, and European security.”
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MAD Completes ‘the Train Station in the Forest,’ Their First Transit-Oriented Development in ChinaAs construction begins on this multi-modal transport hub, the design aims to act as a connecting bridge linking all types of travelers in the city. In fact, the hub will integrate the city’s bus, tram, rail, and cycle networks. This milestone heralds a new era in Tallinn's transportation infrastructure, enhancing connectivity and economic opportunities for the country.
In other similar news, Zaha Hadid Architects’ development above Hong Kong’s High-Speed Rail Terminus just reached roof level. The project also connects established and emerging neighborhoods, integrating with the surrounding station and giving it new life. In France, Bjarke Ingels Group and A+Architecture have recently revealed the design for a new 12,000-square-meter mass timber transport hub in Toulouse, France. Finally, MAD Architects recently unveiled the design for Lishui Airport in China in the “Forest City.” The airport is envisioned as a domestic and regional transport hub aiming to harmonize with its natural surroundings.
