Project executor: Timber Architecture Research Center PAKK
Researchers: Renee Puusepp (Principal Investigator), Katriv Koov (Investigator)
Project Manager: Heli Telgmaa (heli.telgmaa@artun.ee)
Period: 01.01.2026 - 31.12.2027
Funding: EKA Development Grant (Project funding 90 000 €), Tallinn Property Department (Project funding 18 000€)
Project description:
Over two years, 3Cycle circular construction system will be further developed based on the Manufaktuuri preschool project. A web-based design guideline platform for architects and modular building manufacturers will be developed, alongside a prototype solution for the temporary school facility at Paasiku 1 and adaptive reuse concepts for the Stroomi beach building. In addition, projects for temporary preschool and school extensions will be produced through EKA vertical studios. The results will be published in an international professional journal and presented at a high-level international conference.
The project will strengthen the City of Tallinn’s capacity to implement flexible and circular construction-based building solutions that reduce construction costs, environmental impact, and planning risks. Current temporary educational buildings often fail to meet even basic requirements — they frequently suffer from poor acoustics and indoor climate conditions and do not support contemporary pedagogical approaches. The aim of the project is to create temporary buildings that are simultaneously cost-efficient, with high architectural quality, and learner-centred, enabling the City of Tallinn to provide children and teachers with dignified learning environments even during temporary accommodation periods.
The adaptive reuse scenarios will support the city’s strategic investment decisions and enable faster responses to temporary spatial needs in educational institutions. EKA will strengthen its position as a key competence centre for modular construction and circular economy practices, while the project will create new opportunities for collaboration with industry and the public sector. The outcomes will establish a foundation for future international R&D applications and support the competitiveness of the Estonian timber and construction industry.
To transfer knowledge from EKA into professional practice by creating a knowledge base and practical tools that enable Tallinn city officials to use the 3Cycle modular building system for schools, preschools, and temporary public functions.
1. A guideline tool for architects and modular building manufacturers will be developed to support the design and construction of buildings using the 3Cycle system.2. The 3Cycle system’s ceiling module and floor element will be redesigned by replacing cross-laminated timber (CLT) with C24 structural timber. Solutions for ensuring airtightness and vapour control will be developed in order to improve the building’s energy efficiency, long-term durability, and the ease of disassembly and reuse of structural components.
3. The disassembly process of the Stroomi beach building will be defined, and the reuse of its components will be integrated into the guideline materials. In collaboration with a modular building manufacturer, cost and time estimates for relocating the building’s modular components to a new site will be prepared. Warranty-related issues will also be examined, and corresponding recommendations will be included in the guidelines.
4. Conceptual designs for temporary extensions to Tallinn’s schools and preschools will be developed.
Project partner:Tallinn Property Department
