Learning from Tallinn: Study Trip on Mass Housing and Urban Transformation

From April 7–9, researchers of The Living Lab The Green Superblock in Tbilisi visited Tallinn for an intensive study trip. During the visit, they met colleagues from academia, the Municipality of Tallinn, NGOs, and architectural practice to exchange experiences on the future of large housing estates.

The program included visits to projects such as SOFTacademy, Living Room Street, and Laagna Garden, as well as guided tours through major mass housing districts including Pelguranna, Mustamäe, Lasnamäe, and Väike-Õismäe. The trip provided valuable insights into Tallinn’s approaches to housing renovation, participation, and sustainable neighborhood transformation.
We learned how participatory design has become an important part of Tallinn’s municipal agenda. In Mustamäe, we visited a pilot project where four panel housing buildings and their surrounding open spaces are currently undergoing integrated renovation. We also explored student design projects focused on resilient and sustainable futures for mass housing estates.

Another important part of the program was meeting representatives of local NGOs who organize community gardens in Lasnamäe and create events for neighborhood residents. Discussions also addressed everyday challenges of microdistricts, including parking pressure, garages, and the future of open spaces between buildings.

For our Living Lab in Tbilisi, the study trip offered inspiring examples of how local initiatives, municipal support, and experimental pilot projects can work together. It showed that even small-scale interventions can become a starting point for larger neighborhood transformations.