Noblessner’s Taru Nature House wins three timber architecture awards

Taru Nature House, designed by Kavakava architects and located in Noblessner, won the Estonian Timber Building of the Year award, the Arcwood Glulam Award and the Moodne Kodu readers’ choice award, ERR reports.

The winner was announced at the 24th annual international timber architecture conference. Jury chair Lembit-Kaur Stöör, representing the Estonian Association of Architects, praised the building’s overall design, saying its form, indoor and outdoor spaces, materials and structure created a harmonious whole that was both emotionally engaging and intellectually interesting.

The architects were Siiri Vallner, Indrek Peil, Kristel Niisuke and Ko Ai of Kavakava. Makespace designed the engineering solutions, EstKONSULT handled the reinforced-concrete and steel structures, and Nordecon led the design project and carried out the construction.

Rakke kindergarten Leevike received the Raitwood special award for facades and the Estply special award for interiors. The jury also commended the Lasnamäe Circular Economy Centre. Jury member Veronika Valk-Siska said it was more than an ordinary waste station and demonstrated how the construction sector could reduce its environmental impact.

The competition, organised by the Estonian Forest and Wood Industries Association, received 23 entries. The jury included representatives of the architecture, interior architecture and engineering professions, as well as Markus Kaasik, winner of the 2025 Timber Building of the Year award, and industrial technology engineer Markus Hääl.