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Today the architecture design of the EASS’s Narva Learning Centre was announced in Narva. The authors of the concept design TWIX are the architects of a bureau called 3+1 architects.

In addition to cadets, the study, training and dwelling houses, with a net area of approximately 7200 m² are going to be used by the officials of the Police and Border Guard Board and the students of the UT Narva College. The sports centre in the building will also be opened to the public. The learning centre at 14 Kerese will be finished in 2020.

To find the best solution for the learning centre, an architecture competition was held, and the winner of the competition was the concept design called TWIX. The authors of the design are Gert Guriev, Markus Kaasik, Kerstin Kivila, Mihkel Meriste, Andres Ojari and Ilmar Valdur all from architecture bureau 3+1 architects.

Andres Anvelt, Minister of the Interior, says that Narva College of the Estonian Academy of Security Science is the biggest direct investment into the city of Narva that the Ministry of the Interior has made in the past twenty years. “I am happy that the discussions over moving internal security related education to Narva that lasted over many years, have now been finished. There will be a great training centre in Narva, where hundreds of cadets will start polishing their skills, in addition to that, tens of workplaces will be created and the people of Narva will get a decent 8-lane swimming pool,” Anvelt told. “What is more, Narva College is an excellent example of cooperation between two institutions of higher education – Estonian Academy of Security Sciences and the University of Tartu.”

“The learning centre of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences is the third modern building in Narva that will be built as an outcome of an architecture competition held after Estonia regained its independence. The first two were the college of the University of Tartu and Joaoru beach house,” said Katri Raik, rector of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. “If the construction works start in 2018, the same year the Republic of Estonia celebrates its centenary, it will be a symbolic present to Narva and to the police, border guard and customs officers working here. These are the people, also in Võru, Valga and Pärnu, who our safety depends on. It is also important that the new learning centre enables to bring young people to the aging, and unfortunately emptying, Narva.”   

According to Tarvo Kruup, Prefect of the East Prefecture of the Police and Border Guard Board, it is positive that police training will be brought even closer to the East Prefecture. “East Prefecture is already a place where internships are carried out and cadets start their work. I support the idea of bringing the future and present police officers under the same roof. It will be a fulfilling experience for both sides since it allows us to learn from each other. In addition to that, it has to be mentioned that the creation of the college will also improve the living conditions of our officials,” Tarvo Kruup said.

“The competition was intense and interesting,” said Heiki Pagel, head of UT Estates Office and member of the jury. “There was more than one work that was exciting, but the character of the winning work was outstanding. The University desired their part of the building to be clearly distinctive from the rest of the new building, and this aim can be achieved. We are satisfied with the result.”

Katrin Koov, President of the Estonian Association of Architects and member of the jury, said that the winning solution was outstanding thanks to its clear attitude towards the city space, human-friendly interior arrangement, and brave use of materials – these are exactly those fresh thoughts Narva needs. “Certainly the use of wood should be brought out, because it is symbolic in many ways. Firstly, almost all historical wooden houses have disappeared from Narva. And secondly, only recently a thorough applied research on the fire safety of wooden houses was carried out at the Academy, and it would be very relevant to implement the results of it here,” Katrin Koov added.

The Estonian Academy of Security Sciences shall build the Narva learning centre in cooperation with the University of Tartu and the Ministry of the Interior. On 30 March 2017, the government decided to support the building of the EASS’s new learning centre in Narva and to fund it with 12.8 million euros. The Estonian Academy of Security Sciences hopes to start the building process at the end of 2018 and open the doors of the new centre in 2020.

Authors of the winning concept design TWIX were awarded with 13 000 euros.

II place (10 000 euros) - concept design VAHELDUS, authors Maarja Kask, Ralf Lõoke, Marja Viltrop, Ragnar Põllukivi, Martin McLean and Kaisa Simon (Salto Architects).             

III place (7000 euros) - concept design RUUT, authors Peeter Pere, Eva Kedelauk, Karmen Sinde (Peeter Pere Architects)

Consolation prizes (á 3500 euros) - concept design LÄKI-LÄKI, authors Johan Tali, Karli Luik and Harri Kaplan (Molumba OÜ) and RUKKILILL, authors Alvin Järving, Ott Alver, Mari Rass, Sander Paling, Helena Rummo (Must OÜ). 

In total, there were 14 works submitted to the competition. All designs are exposed in the basement rooms of the UT Narva College until 17 December 2017. After that the awarded designs will be exposed in the foyer of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences at Kase 61 Tallinn. From 18 January, all designs will be on show at the Museum of Estonian Architecture (Ahtri 2).

The decision upon the architectural design of the Narva learning centre of the EASS was made by a jury, which members were: Katri Raik, Estonian Academy of Security Sciences (president of the jury); Peeter Tambu, Estonian Academy of Security Sciences; Tarvo Kruup, Police and Border Guard Board; Heiki Pagel, University of Tartu; Ivan Sergejev, Narva CC Department of Architecture and Urban Planning; Katrin Koov, Estonian Association of Architects; Ülar Mark, Estonian Association of Architects; Kaur Talpsep, Estonian Association of Architects; Rasmus Tamme, Estonian Association of Architects.

Estonian Academy of Security Sciences is an institution of professional higher education in the administration of the Ministry of the Interior. Estonian Academy of Security Sciences provides preparation for specialists of internal security (incl. police, border guard, rescue, justice, tax and customs systems) on vocational, bachelor’s and master’s level. In addition to its main building in Pirita Kose in Tallinn, the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences also has learning centres in Paikuse (Pärnu County) and Väike-Maarja (Lääne Viru County). There are approximately 1000 cadets and 230 employees in the Academy.

The Estonian Association of Architects (EAA) is an organisation organising architects, landscape architects and architecture researchers. The EAA is a legal successor of Estonian Association of Architects, established on 8 October, 1921. The main field of activity of the EAA is of architecture expertise, concerning both organising architecture competitions as well as offering expert assessments on particular cases. The EAA has 402 members, since 2016 its president has been Katrin Koov.

Take a look at the new Narva learning centre of the EASS. All awarded works are available here.