Tallinn University of Technology emerges as campus university

Photo: Peeter Langovits

With sixth academic building now opened, Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) completes concentration of itself in the Mustamäe Campus.

We are talking about Stage 1 of TUT investment project, which also includes restoration of building No 5. The old Building 6 having been severely dilapidated, it was deemed prudent to build a brand new house, infrastructure and all. The old building was torn down, the new contemporary one erected in its place. The architect thereof was Velle Kadalipp, builder – Skanska AS.

The building came with area of 13,000 m³, costing €13m to finish. All in all, it houses the institutes of Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (including departments of Thermal Engineering, Materials Technology, Mechatronics, Chemistry and Materials Technology), to which TUT Robotics Club, Formula Student Team Tallinn, and student council of the mechanical faculty have been added.

«After the completion of this building, all of TUT is concentrated in Mustamäe; thus we may call ourselves a campus university. This being very important, both for students and research fellows. The environment being very enriching as, next to us, we have the Tallinn Science Park servicing over 200 companies, already – and ever extending. We may say: under the Mustamäe pines, Estonia’s mightiest development engine has been born,» the TUT rector Andres Keevallik said at the opening ceremony.

«For students, the time consumed by moving about will significantly be shortened – the old academic building, in Kopli, was 13 km from the Mustamäe Campus,» stressed the mechanical faculty dean Tauno Otto. Earlier, it took an hour or even two for students to shuttle between Kopli and Mustamäe.

Thermal Engineering Department now has a testing hall spanning four floors (the so-called «thermal cathedral), featuring state-of-the-art research equipment.  Materials Technology Department labs feature and effective, energy-efficient and precision-controlled ventilation system.

In the Mechatronics Department, automotive technicians have a sound-proof acoustics lab at their disposal. All area has already been claimed, in the new building. «Should we want to acquire some new equipment, there’d be no room for it,» observed a teacher.

At the opening ceremony, a Formula Student Team formula-car was displayed – doing a little show-off ride once the speeches were over. The rector thinks the vehicle is the glory and honour of Estonian state: «A minimum of 500 rich countries universities are into creating Formula Student cars. This one has raced major events at Hungaroring, Darmstadt and where not. We’re partnering up, here, with Tallinn University of Applied Sciences; and, among the 500 universities, we are established in top five,» beamed Mr Keevallik.