Cornerstone laid at Ülemiste Passenger Terminal by ZHA | Zaha Hadid Architects

Marking the start of construction works, the cornerstone has been laid at the site of the new Ülemiste Passenger Terminal in Tallinn...

> Construction of Masaryčka by Zaha Hadid Architects completed
> NatPowerH Hydrogen Refuelling Stations by ZHA

From the architect: A multi-modal transport hub for the city’s commuters as well as international rail passengers and air travellers using the adjacent Tallinn Airport, the Ülemiste Passenger Terminal is designed as a connecting bridge linking together districts of Tallinn currently separated by the railway tracks that disect the city.

Opening in 2028, Tallinn’s Ülemiste terminal will be the northern terminus of the new 870-kilometre Rail Baltica electrified railway now under-construction. Providing passenger services at speeds up to 249km/h, Rail Baltica will connect Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with the European high-speed rail network in Poland.

Zaha Hadid Architects developed the design with leading Estonian architecture and engineering firm Esplan. Circulation routes through the terminal have determined the station’s spatial geometry to aid navigation and the seamless integration of the city’s bus, tram, rail and cycle networks that intersect at the terminus.

Incorporating a modular structural system built in phases to enable ongoing operations on the rail lines throughout construction, the terminal has been designed and planned to BREEAM benchmarks and guidelines.

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Client: Rail Baltic
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Year: 2019 - 2028
Board Directors: Patrik Schumacher, Gianluca Racana
Project Directors: Ludovico Lombardi, Michele Salvi
Project Leads: Luciano Letteriello, Marco Guardincerri
Design Team: Zrinka Radic, Amittai Antoine, Richard Maekallas, Davide del Giudice, Alexsandra Fisher, Jose Navarrete Deza, Mauro Sabiu, Adam Twigger
Local Architect: Esplan OU
Engineering: Esplan OU
Rendering: Negativ