Not set in stone: Glimpses of Estonian Landscape Architecture

The work of landscape architects is all around us – surrounding our homes, in parks and green spaces, tucked away in private gardens and blending almost imperceptibly into the landscapes of nature parks. Drawing on the collections of the Estonian Museum of Architecture, this exhibition presents works by seven authors, offering a glimpse of the broader community of practitioners who shaped Estonian landscape architecture during the 20th century.

Several influential projects never made it beyond the drawing board, yet they still offer a revealing view of Estonia’s spatial development and of the breadth of the landscape architect’s work. The political and social upheavals of the 20th century were also reflected in gaps in professional education and changing professional titles, resulting in repeated interruptions and restructuring. Landscape architecture inevitably bears the imprint of its time – of prevailing social values and of the opportunities and constraints of the period. We hope that this exhibition will inspire further study of a field that has so far received relatively little attention.

The exhibition forms part of the renewed outdoor area of the Museum of Architecture, designed by landscape architects Grete Veskiväli-Dubov (Stuudio Punktiir) and Hannes Aava. The exhibition opens on the terrace next to the museum on the 23rd of September at 6pm and is open for the public from morning until nighttime for free.

Curators: Anna-Liiza Izbaš (ArhMus) and Hannes Aava

Landscape architects: Lidia Pettai, Valve Pormeister, Aleksander Niine, Endel Kaldmäe, Ethel Brafmann, Vaike Parker, Nora Tammoja

Graphic design: Koit Randmäe (ArhMus)

Artworks: Hannes Aava