The Estonian architectural studio of Laura Lins and Roland Reemaa (LLRRLLRR) will present three projects that draw inspiration from traditional adaptive reuse practices and the ruggedness found in the Baltic landscape, while also benefiting from an active approach to both commissioning and executing projects.

The buildings we encounter along roads far from Tallinn or other urban centers seem somewhat secondary in comparison to the landscape — they are sparsely scattered, always adapted to their surroundings, and built to support what takes place around them rather than inside them. They are firmly rooted in their location and consist of clusters of locally available materials sourced from the surrounding land or via major trade routes. As witnesses to the material cultures of a given place, they defy homogenization. 

A departure from what is considered the standard in the field of architecture is essential to LLRRLLRR. In their projects, they seek to challenge prevailing tastes, funding, and established procedures in design competitions and commissioning processes, which have become all too central to architectural practice. 

In addition to the duo’s projects, the exhibition also features works created during the summer architecture workshop Paraply, which Laura and Roland led in Copenhagen. The exhibition also includes works by Estonian textile artist Johanna Ulfsak and Anglo-Belgian artist Chris Evans, with whom the architects collaborate closely on a wide range of projects.

The studio’s projects LLRRLLRR are based on site-specific design principles and construction methods. They draw on knowledge of the local environment and collaboration with local communities, material producers, artists, and institutions, with both Laura and Roland happily taking on the productive role of dilettantes. They work on architectural projects, write, curate, and teach at the Estonian Academy of Arts and at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London.