Andres Sevtshuk (Harvard): Urban analysis of ZHA masterplan proposal

1 of 23Andres Sevtsuk | Mereääre Linnafoorum | Vanasadama Masterplaan | 20171010 | Tallinn, Estonia
Oct 10, 2017
Avatud Mereääre Linnafoorum: Uus Vanasadam.
Urban Analysis of ZHA Masterplan Proposal
for Tallinn’s Old Harbor
Andres Sevtsuk
Assistant Professor of Planning
Director, City Form Lab
Harvard GSD

The competition brief allocated areas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 for redevelopment.
Areas 1 and 7 were primarily reserved for current and future port operations

Surrounding districts of Tallinn and the quest to “open the city center to the sea”.

ZHA Masterplan proposal

Merits
New Terminals – most important gateways to the city – will activate the site

Merits
Seaside park– will provide a major addition to the public waterfront

Merits
Efficient logistical connections serving the operations of the port

Shortcomings

Shortcomings
disconnected urban form from the rest of the city center

Shortcomings
disconnected urban form from the rest of the city center
(example: ZHA Masterplan for One North in Singapore)

Shortcomings
The “stream” provides connections to the wrong things…

Shortcomings
Key public spaces lack programming and would likely be underutilized

Shortcomings
Grade-separated pedestrian circulation would privatize public spaces and
is not justified in the context of Tallinn

Shortcomings
Grade-separated pedestrian circulation would privatize public spaces and is
not justified in the context of Tallinn (example: Barbican Center, London)

Shortcomings
Excessively large free-standing building typologies
135m

Shortcomings
Excessively large free-standing building typology
100m

Shortcomings
Proposed metric: how many address points reached in a 300m walkshed?

Shortcomings
Proposed metric: how many address points reached in a 300m walkshed?
Tallinn Old Town
35-45
Tallinn Kesklinn
CBD
35-45
ZHA port proposal
5-20

Shortcomings
ZHA estimates for car traffic 10X higher than pedestrian traffic around site

Shortcomings
Imbalanced program: class A office space, luxury residential buildings with
pools and spas, commercial buildings as well as luxury serviced apartments

Shortcomings
Imbalanced program: class A office space, luxury residential buildings with
pools and spas, commercial buildings as well as luxury serviced apartments
“Locals will be attracted through the waterfront
promenade, the marina and the wellness spa gardens
which will be used in summer as well as a winter oasis.”
But how many Tallinners go to wellness spas and marinas?

Conclusion
• ZHA’s proposal clearly addresses the interests of the Port Authority
and of tourists – but it fails to address the interests of typical Tallinners.
• The proposal would create a spatially separated, heavily privatized,
and elitist waterfront for Tallinn. I do not think this serves the interests
of the city.
• The challenge that lies ahead for the 21st century, is not to create
another separated and disconnected district in the center, but rather
to develop a waterfront that blends seamlessly together with the
surrounding districts of Kesklinn, Old Town, Kalamaja and Kadriorg.
• We have to imagine how this masterplan will actually materialize when
each building is developed by an average local architect? Why would
the buildings need to be so large, so far apart from each other and
why wouldn’t they extend the street frontages from the surrounding
districts?

Andres Sevtshuk (Harvard): Urban analysis of ZHA masterplan proposal

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Andres Sevtshuk (Harvard): Urban analysis of ZHA masterplan proposal