Straw Bale Theater Honored at World Architecture Festival
The Straw Bale Theater was dubbed “highly commended” in a World Architecture Festival publication, published on January 1.
Shortlisted along with 16 other projects for final consideration in the cultural buildings category at November's festival in Spain, Tallinn's Straw Bale Theater was the only one other than the winner to have the honor of being named in the Winners Catalog.
Tallinn's European Capital of Culture project lost out to Shima Kitchen, an old house in Japan that was rebuilt into a venue for arts and dinning.
The 270-seat Straw Bale Theater, a temporary home for the NO99 company, was located on the northern edge of Old Town before it was deconstructed and partly relocated in October.
Erected only for six months, the theater was built from a wooden frame packed with straw bales that were painted black. The structure was designed by Salto Architects, who envisioned an eco-friendly and temporary way of reclaiming abandoned public space. It was later transported 25 kilometers to the Lilleoru spiritual community in Harju County, where it will serve as part of a yoga center.
Another Estonian undertaking to be shortlisted was the design for Tallinn's future town hall and adjacent square, by Bjarke Ingels Group from Denmark and Allianss Architects from Estonia.
Ott Tammik