Port of Tallinn offering plot for national opera

Valdo Kalm, a member of management board of the Port of Tallinn. Photo: Remo Tõnismäe

Valdo Kalm, a member of management board of the Port of Tallinn, would be happy to see the new opera house built on the waterfront yet the national opera seems uninterested.

National Opera Estonia submitted a plan of an annex to the present opera building to apply for funding of significant cultural buildings, because there are either no plots for the new opera in the city centre or these are too expensive. The Port of Tallinn can offer a waterfront plot with a lot of potential for that purpose but the national opera management hasn’t even answered to their offer.

True, the national opera representatives mentioned the Port of Tallinn neighbouring plot in their application to the parliamentary cultural affairs committee and rejected it as too expensive.

“The land plots in Logi Street 8–10 next to the City Hall: the cost of the building together with acquiring construction rights amounts to 300–350,000,” the application read. This is a land plot next to Port of Tallinn. Kalm said that he could not tell how the cost had been calculated, but added that in case of such an important cultural site the port would not drive up the cost of square metre like a typical real estate developer would do and that there various opportunities for reaching an agreement would be available.

“We would prefer a long-term lease, but in case of an important building like the opera theatre, we could sell the land plot and come to special agreements. As a listed enterprise we cannot hand over the plot totally free of charge,” Kalm said

Why give up the plot?

The port manager explained that the Port of Tallinn is not planning only the construction of apartment houses to that side of the port but is creating a new public urban space. They lead a similar policy elsewhere. “It is already this summer when we shall turn the front of D terminal into an attractive urban space where the port’s service areas are combined with a city park. The place where the taxicabs are driving will become a park. Then we shall move on towards A terminal and shall do the same there. Once the tram line to the port will be built, we shall rearrange all the traffic here and link the park up with the rest of the urban space,” Kalm said.

Only a small number of apartments have been planned in the vicinity of A terminal. The port believes that this area should be occupied by public buildings. “It will become a new urban space with some offices and apartments but we are interested in creating a new environment in this area. There is no sense in building a village of boxes where no one would want to live or work in,” Kalm said. All architects involved in the drafting of the port’s general plan a few years ago also recommended the construction of a major cultural building.

To opera by tram

Kalm showed a place in front of A terminal where a tram stop would be built in the next few years. The tram line running to the port will turn away there and follow the route of the former Cultural Kilometre. A multi-storey car park will be built next to A terminal for those unwilling to use public transport, similarly to that next to D terminal.

“It is very important to have convenient connections for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. We are currently planning the traffic scheme here and hope to determine the definite route of the tram line within a month or so. This will be decisive for the future;” Kalm stressed.

They discussed the seaside opera house with the previous management of the national opera. “When we began making the general plan a few years ago, Aivar Mäe came to us to discuss matters and we sent a clear message that the national opera would be very much welcome here,” the port manager recalled.

Kalm cited the opera buildings of Sydney and Oslo, which are located on the waterfront and have become important symbols. “In Sydney’s case the cultural shrine has become a trade mark for the entire country. Even the people who know very little of Australia can recognise the Sydney opera building on a photograph,” Kalm said. In a similar fashion, the Oslo opera theatre has created an environment around it where people like to be.

An opera building next to the port would also attract a number of cultural tourists from Finland, Sweden and other countries, he added.

Thus the Port of Tallinn management sent a memorandum to the managers of Estonia National Opera once the opera’s space problems became topical again. “I sent a brief letter to the manager of the opera, but no negotiations have been started and we have received no feedback,” Kalm said.

He added that the approximately 3.5 hectare land plot is currently available, although there have been various interested parties. “We have no binding agreements so that now would be the right time to discuss matters. But we have to go on with the zoning plan at some moment this plan could then prove unsuitable. Therefore we invite them to discuss it,” Kalm said.

The location is a jewel, says Tallinn Deputy Mayor Andrei Novikov

“This is a beautiful location and an architecturally suitable solution would definitely improve the area. The traffic problems of the area should be certainly solved as well.

However, as for general urban space and a new city district, this location is a true jewel. If the plan should be realised, I would definitely support it. The only problem is related to the specifics of the port’s operations. For instance, what about noises unacceptable to an opera? The waterfront would become a central part of the city in the future so that the construction of such a building would be very welcome.”