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Veljo Kaasik (born July 17, 1938 Tallinn) is an Estonian architect, member of legendary Tallinn School and professor emeritus in Estonian Academy of Arts.

He graduated from State Art Institute of the Estonian SSR (Estonian Academy of Arts ) as an architect in 1964. During the Soviet period he worked at State Architecture Office for Rural Buildings and at State Architecture Office of Kolchozes. From 1990 he started working in Estonian Art Institute and became dean in 1994. He is honorary doctor in Technical University of Tampere.

He belonged to the group of young architects and artists called the Tallinn School, which was grouped from Tiit Kaljundi, Vilen Künnapu, Leonhard Lapin, Avo-Himm Looveer and Ülevi Eljand. He is member of Union of Estonian Architects since 1971.

Creation

In early 1960's the most notable works are "State Architecture Office for Rural Buildings" building extension in Tallinn old town ( 1967 with Toomas Rein) and "State Architecture Office of Kolchozes" Pärnu division building (1970-1975), which is one of the first examples of Estonian neofunctionalism. In 2015 the building was demolished.

In 1970's and at the beginning of 1980's occured the impact of Scandinavian regionalist and post modernism architecture. Volumetric contrasts became typical in his works. One of the most notable works from this period is Private house "Brother's house" in Tallinn, Merivälja (1975-1980). Real masterpiece of complex and contradicting architecture, does not rely on typical private house architecture from this period, rather relates to surrounding buildings from the beginning of 20th century.

In the beginning of 1980s the buiding of Lümanda sokhoz center is one of the best examples from Kaasik's productive "second period" creation. Environmental awareness became important topic in his works in 1980s. The best example is Apartment building in Haapsalu (1982), where small wooden and Soviet era prefabricated houses were in conflict. He designed a building with two "faces" it relates with two contradicting sides.

From the later period one of the most important work is the reconstruction of Freedom Square in Tallinn (1998-2009) with A. Alver and T. Trummal. In 2009 the first stage was completed, when the War of Independence Victory Column in Freedom Square was also opened.

Academic activity

He played important role in rearranging the architecture department studies in EAA while he was dean. He put emphasis on importance of city planning. He tried to provoke conceptual-analytical thinking instead of artist-architect approach to projects.

Built peojects

Factory "Kalev" reconstruction in Tallinn (1963)

State Architecture Office for Rural Buildings in Tallinn (1964-67) with Toomas Rein

State Architecture Office of Kolchozes Pärnu division building (1969)

Pärnu sokhoz "Täht" buiding (1972)

Munamäe observing tower (1939) extension (1967-71) with Toomas Rein

Apartment buidling in Haapsalu (1982)

Private house in Tartu (1982)

Private house "Brother's house" in Tallinn, Merivälja (1975-85)

Main building of the Lümanda state farm in Saaremaa

Reconstruction of Freedom Square in Tallinn (1998-2009) with Andres Alver and Tiit Trummal

Unrealized projects:

Värska sanatorium competition (1977)

Saha-Loo bird farm extension competition (1979)

Estonian art museum competition (1994)

Publications

He has written articles and books of urban planning. The most notable are "Over the buildings and beyond" (1994-1998) with T.Trummal and A.Alver. The book consists of articles and projects by the authors from 1990's. Being influenced from Robert Venturi and other western post modernist architect's ideas, he was one of the first, who critically reinerpreted modernist architecuture in ESSR. The articale was released in 1986 "Ehituskunst"

Awards

2015 Order of the White Star 2015 National life prize 1999 Annual award of Cultural Endowment of Estonia for the book "Over the buildings and beyond" 2000 Estonian Cultural Endowment, Architectural Endowment Award for fostering Estonian architectural education. 2002 Main Award of Estonian Cultural Endowment for the development of architectural policy project, head of the working group. 2009 Annual award of Estonian Cultural Endowment for the reconstruction project of Vabaduse Square in Tallinn.