Is it just me or is the whole area in downtown Tallinn turning into a Baltic version of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis?" I'm speaking in particular of Narva Road and the area right around the Viru shopping center, where so many modern, glass structures have been appearing in the last few months.
I concede that a lot of it is a huge improvement over what was there in the 1990s. Some of those Soviet-style monsters were just begging for a couple sticks of dynamite and a match.
But I can't help wondering what's going to happen in 20 years time when what's now cutting edge architecture begins to look as dated as a 1980s hairstyle does today.
Also, has anyone really looked at the plan for that building on the corner of Narva Road and Mere street? It's under construction now, and a picture of the finished product is on a banner that hangs on the front. Essentially it's going to be a beautiful, old, 18th century or 19th century facade with a huge, ugly glass cube popping out of the top of it. Anyone who has seen the "Alien" films will get the picture.
Who approves these projects, and is this really the Tallinn we want to build?
Karl Emerson, Tallinn
