"Most of Tallinna Vesi's assets in the city are underground," said Tarvi Thomberg, the company's director of asset management. "When we have to go above the surface in some places, we try to fit it into the urban space as well as possible."

Now, four of the city's pumping stations have now been given a new look. "There were about twice as many artists as objects, and about four times as many designs," Thomberg said. "The young artists are really creative and I think the results are pretty good."

Thomberg added that the new look pumping stations have been well received by Tallinners and that the company hopes to continue the project in the future.

Artist Johannes Adrik decided to include a duck in his design for one of the pumping stations. "Since the brief from Tallinna Vesi was related to water, I decided to paint a duck. I named it 'Heado duck.' It is a slightly hedonistic duck, the posture is very similar to water, flowing and free. It's a way of giving people the feeling that they should have a freer attitude," Adrick said.

According to Adrik, giving the pumps a new look is a good way to liven up grey buildings in the city. "It hasn't gone unnoticed by the general public. People are starting to realize that graffiti and other forms of street art are not vandalism," he said.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!