Let’s shed some light on Tallinn’s Old Town

In 2019, the walls and towers of Tallinn’s Old Town were given a contemporary lighting solution that seems to awaken them to life when darkness arrives. Thus the buildings seem to whisper, telling us stories about our long and exciting history and with the help of light and shadows, their dignified forms and interesting details are highlighted. The project to modernise the lighting was financed by the Kapitel real estate company and is one of the largest investments of private capital made in Tallinn’s urban space.
The lighting solution was designed and built by Merko.

Within the framework of the project, Merko created lighting for almost 40 objects and installed almost 600 LED-lights. The new warm light LED luminaries ensure a 20-time reduction in energy compared to the current lighting solution and cast a soft and warm light on the walls that create a cosy and pleasant milieu.

The lighting project was designed by Lighting Design Collective Oy from Finland that won the idea competition organised by the City of Tallinn in 2017. The concept of the winning project seems to pay tribute to the scars and fragments of the Old Town history that the walls express. The lighting architects have set the light intensity, angles, and levels to highlight the original character of the Old Town. The lighting gives an authentic appearance to many of the places in the Old Town by highlighting their interesting history and casting light and shadows on details that have been moulded by history. The features that emphasize the individuality of the buildings are the focus of attention and thanks to carefully chosen light intensities, create an intimate atmosphere in the urban space.