photo: mads fredrik mads photo: The beak in Narva. Prize-winning Estonian illusion The story of the Narva school’s origins is withneitherconsiderationtothepreviouscityplan not only interesting, it also has a moral. norarchitecture.Moreover,Estoniancitizenswere It’s the story of three architects’ insistent forbiddentoliveinthecity.Afewbuildingswere strivings to gain acceptance for a design sparedhowever,suchastheAlexanderCathedral vision above and beyond the norm. andtheoldcityhall.Inthisextremelysensitiveenvi- Narva College has received a multitude ronment,anentirelynewschoolwastobebuilt–a of awards and international acclaim, and buildingwithstrikingarchitecture.Thetwistsand rightly so. Fellert and Even Better Secern turnsaroundthisprojectarealltoomanytode- played a lesser but very significant role scribehereindetail,butthearchitectsatKavakava in this prestigious project – creating high finallygainedacceptancefortheirvisions,andifa quality acoustical environments for Esto- citycouldsmile,oldNarvawouldgrinwithpleasure nia’s future talents. overtheresults.Directlyadjoiningthecityhallthere isnowabuildingthatuniteshistoryandthefuture ThecityofNarvaisauniquebuilding inaspectacularmanner,muchduetothegenial environmentinthecorrectmeaningof facadewithit’scharacteristic”beak”thatfroma theword.Mostofthecitywascompletely distanceisreminiscentofhowtheoldNarvacould About destroyedduringtheSecondWorldWar havelookedwithanopticalillusion.Beingableto Architect: KavakavaOÜ Planning: YITEstonia andwhenEstoniawaslateroccupiedby contributetoasmoothlyfunctioningacademic Location: Narva,Estonia Fellert installer: AcousticBalti theSovietUnion,theorderofthedaywas environmentandhighqualityacousticsinsucha themostbrutalpossible–levelittothe buildingisaprivilegeenjoyedbyfew. 2 Fellert-area: 3500m Type of project: Newconstruction/renovation ground!Anentirelynewcitywasbuiltup, Project summary: •Large surfaces, discriminating interior, good acoustics •Historical building environment •Educational activities with varying spatial needs Tartu University: Narva College Narva[EST] culture: schools, libraries & laboratories Links: www.solness.ee/maja/?mid=130&id=510&p=4•collabcubed.com/2013/03/20/university-of-tartu-narva-college-kavakava•www.kavakava.ee.