SAILING FORWARD. How the 1980 Olympic Regatta Shaped Tallinn

This summer marks the 45th anniversary of Tallinn Olympic Regatta. The ambition to host a major sailing competition became a reality in the 1970s when Tallinn was selected as a co-host of the Olympic Games, initiating preparations for the regatta. In addition to sailing, the event was accompanied by large-scale urban planning and development, making the decade particularly significant in the history of local architecture. The Olympic urban plans aimed to modernise the city rapidly.

Tallinn changed considerably in preparation for the Olympic Regatta. The plan included repairing the architectural scars left by the destruction of World War II and filling vacant spaces with new buildings. Parts of Tallinn’s coastline were freed from industrial use, engineering systems were renewed and several parts of the capital were given a refreshed appearance. In addition to urban planning, attention was also paid to design – evident in the city, everyday items and poster art alike.

Several well-known buildings were completed for the regatta, including the Olympic Yachting Centre, TV Tower, Hotel Olümpia and the new airport terminal. Along with the Olympic sites, new residential buildings, offices, healthcare facilities and cultural venues were constructed – designed by Estonian architects, interior architects and engineers. Despite the conditions of Soviet occupation, local initiatives – led by Estonians – sought to improve the living environment in the momentum of the regatta. The summer of 1980 felt to many like a fleeting moment of freedom, but the Iron Curtain would remain closed for many more years.

In all, more than 120 architectural projects were planned as part of the Olympic urbanism. Some were completed, others were built later, while some remained merely ideas. The exhibition presents this ambitious phase in Tallinn’s development.

The exhibition is open at the Estonian Museum of Architecture and in the courtyard of the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design from 30 April to 28 September 2025.