Tallinn is a coastal city that has long lacked a meaningful connection to the sea. Although public access to the waterfront is improving, the sea is still often experienced as a distant backdrop rather than an active part of the city, with few architectural or urban features addressing its presence. This thesis investigates how architectural design can reconnect Tallinn’s urban life to the sea.

The project addresses this question by designing a coastal fish market between Kalasadam and Linnahall. The proposal expands a function already present on the site but currently limited by architectural and spatial shortcomings. Through programme, composition, spatial sequence, and coastal identity, the project explores how architecture can make the working coast visible, accessible, and public.

The result is a split-level fish market where production and storage are organised at sea level, while the public market sits above. The building develops into a tripartite market hall: a flexible civic structure defined by light, repeated structural frames. Its public square extends this logic outward, serving both as civic space and as a working harbour floor. The approach from the Old Town supports the project by strengthening orientation towards the market, while the main architectural focus remains the building itself.

Beyond Tallinn, the project suggests that low-intensity coastal cities can be activated by strengthening existing social hubs and urban axes, rather than relying on isolated landmarks. In this way, architecture can help establish the sea as a visible and living part of everyday urban life. ... Read more