Leida Pello: What is the most important aspect of architecture?
Madis Eek: In my opinion, every project, not only in architecture, should have a meaning or thought behind it.
LP: How important is the client in the process?
ME: It is hard for an architect to do a house without a client who with his wishes and decisions affects the process a lot. And it is clear, especially with private houses that the house should be done according to the client’s wishes. The location and other ideas have an impact as well. Overall it is an art of proving and compromising.
LP: Does the idea change during the process because of the client?
ME: Yes. Sometimes the pretty talk comes later. We did this Kamikaze pub; it’s by the Mustamäe road [in Tallinn]. With that project, the client wanted a completely different house and we already thought that this project would not happen. Yet, at one point we had an idea why not do it very colourful. There aren’t that many pedestrians on that road, more cars. Therefore, it had to attract the passing drivers between those grey Soviet-era panel houses. We decided to use colourful glass. Then, we somehow had to explain it to the client, and I got an idea: why not arrange the glass like the colourful bottles on the bar counter. Once I gave it some thought it seemed like a reasonable explanation and that’s how I pitched it and the client liked it. However, today the Kamikaze is no longer the most colourful building on the block.
 Kamikaze pubThe building has two separate volumes, the colourful main volume with public spaces and the darker, more modest annex for service rooms. The counter is at the connection of the two volumes. ©Madis Eek |  Kamikaze pubThe facade is like a bottle shelf and when lit, it reveals what lies in store. During the daytime, toned glass colours the room with shimmers of light. Looking out, it creates a movie-like effect, cars passing from one colour to the other. © Madis Eek |
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 Viimsi Keevitus inspiration© Madis Eek |  Viimsi Keevitus buildingViimsi Keevitus is a company specialising in all sorts of piping constructions, yet the name of the company is associated directly with welding. © Madis Eek |
 Noole 8Kalamaja is one of wooden suburbs encircling the old town of Tallinn. The house was built on top of the limestone walls of an old single storey factory building. © Madis Eek |  Noole 8One wing of the existing building was taken down and two storeys were added to the second wing running along Noole street. Apartments under the gabled roof have two levels. © Madis Eek |
 Helsinki Guggenheim© Madis Eek |  Helsinki GuggenheimEGG For many people of the ancient times the egg is a symbol of the creation of the world and so it is among Nordic people. In the first song of Kalevala the Earth is created from the pieces of duck eggs that fell into the ocean. CONE Forestry plays a pivotal role in the Finnish economy and the cone of scots pine is to symbolize its significance. © Madis Eek |
 Tabasalu Music HouseThe surrounding buildings inspired the form of the building. It consists of archetypal volumes of different width and height folding outward from the large central part. © Madis Eek |  Tabasalu Music HouseThe volume of the building is shrinking gradually, moving outward from the centre, to appear less dominant. The outer walls open like a fan to provide classrooms with sufficient sunlight while the angled walls avoid the reflection of sounds inside the rooms. © Madis Eek |
LP: Is it possible to create a house without a basic idea?
ME: No, not in my opinion. You cannot start doing the house from scratch without having some sort of a main idea or not knowing whether you could do the house as a matchbox or a ball or etc. When you visit the place ideas will start coming and you’ll start thinking where this or that would fit. However, sometimes the deadline keeps coming closer and you have no good ideas and that is the worst. It is also sad when you think everything is good, you are excited and everything is settled and then the client comes and says he doesn’t like it, which has also happened.
LP: How much should the architect think about providing enough parking spaces in new buildings?
ME: There are different opinions on the parking space in the Tallinn city centre. A little while ago, there was a discussion on whether we should demand more parking spaces or less. Those who demanded more said there aren’t enough and we should create more. And the counter-argument was that by creating more parking spaces we drive a bigger traffic of cars into central. So there is no right answer. If I’m not mistaken offices in central presume that there shouldn’t be enough parking spaces for everyone. Those who have an office in central should think about either using public transport or parking a little bit further from the building.
I wouldn’t praise the Tallinn’s city administration, but free public transport is a great idea. I look from the app [many applications available for smartphones showing public transport schedules] at what time the bus comes. In two minutes, I’m at the bus stop and it takes me seven minutes to get to the city administration. By car, I would never get there in nine minutes, regardless how close I park.
LP: Is it easier to build a massive or a small building?
ME: It is easier to imagine a big space. If it is necessary to have a specific placing of the rooms, e.g. in an office building with a lot of smaller rooms, then your desired shape might not work, and then you also have to consider the light. A good house cannot have a fun exterior and a not thought through inside floor plan. A good architect is someone who thinks of a whole and allows the house to open step by step. This way everything included in there is necessary. It is satisfying to see, for an Estonian I guess, that it is really that simple. Things don’t have to be complicated. You can be putting in a lot of effort, but it shouldn’t be that clearly visible.
LP: Is it still possible to build a wonder of the world?
ME: It sure is. Even though we now build houses like devices with a lifespan, usually 50 years, it doesn’t mean that the building will collapse. The lifespan of those soviet micro-districts is long over. The lifespan just guarantees that all the materials used will definitely last that time. One can still build wonders of the world. But those wonders are more in terms of new technological materials. Shape wise maybe something like the Frank Gehry’s Bilbao Guggenheim or Zaha Hadid’s mollusc shape buildings. If today, someone had built the Sidney Opera House, it wouldn’t be that extraordinary.
© Madis Eek