Andres Alver facts for kids
Andres Alver (born on December 23, 1953) is an important Estonian architect. He is known for designing many interesting buildings and public spaces in Estonia.
Alver was born in Tartu, Estonia. He went to the 2nd Secondary School of Tartu from 1961 to 1972. After that, he studied architecture at the State Art Institute of the Estonian SSR (which is now called the Estonian Academy of Arts). He finished his studies in 1977.
Andres Alver's Career
Andres Alver started his career in 1977. For many years, he worked in an architectural office that belonged to a large farm called a collective farm. From 1990 to 2006, he worked at an architectural company called Alver&Trummal OÜ. Since 2006, he has been working at his own company, A. Alver Architects OÜ.
Some of his early projects in the 1980s included a fun recreational home in Loksa and a restaurant called Toidutare in Kose-Risti. He also designed a shop in Tallinn.
After the 1990s, Alver designed many well-known buildings. These include another Toidutare restaurant in Pirita, the De La Gardie department store, and the City Plaza office building. He also helped redesign the famous Freedom Square in Tallinn.
Today, Andres Alver is a professor of urban design at the Estonian Academy of Arts. He also helps edit a magazine about Estonian architecture called Ehituskunst: Estonian Architectural Review. He lives in Viimsi, Estonia, and is a member of the Union Of Estonian Architects.
Notable Works
Andres Alver has designed many different types of buildings and spaces. Here are some of his important projects:
- A children's playground in the S.M Kirov collective farm center, Viimsi, in 1980.
- A recreational home in Loksa, in 1981.
- An apartment building on Raua street in Tallinn, in 1991.
- The Toidutare restaurant in Pirita, designed in 1992 with Tiit Trummal.
- The De La Gardie department store in Tallinn's old town, designed in 1999 with T. Trummal.
- The change of an old hospital into a hotel on Roosikrantsi street in Tallinn, in 1997, also with T. Trummal.
- The Ferrum department store in Kuressaare, Saaremaa, designed in 2002 with T. Trummal.
- The City Plaza office building in Tallinn, designed in 2006 with T. Trummal.
- The new design of the Freedom Square in Tallinn, completed in 2009 with T. Trummal and Veljo Kaasik.
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The Ferrum department store in Kuressaare, designed in 2002.
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The redesigned Freedom Square in Tallinn, completed in 2009.
Architectural Competitions
Architects often enter competitions to get a chance to design new buildings or spaces. Andres Alver has won several important competitions:
- He won first prize for the design of Harju street in Tallinn in 1987.
- He also won first prize for a hotel and conference center in Pirita in 1992.
- In 1998, he won first prize for the new design of the Freedom Square in Tallinn.
- In 2009, he won second prize for the design of the New Townhall of Tallinn.
