On Toompea Hill in Tallinn, adjacent to the well-known Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, lies Toompea Castle, home to the Riigikogu, Estonia’s parliament. Surrounded by green spaces, the medieval fortifications, and the historic old town, a new architectural landmark emerges alongside the existing tallest tower, Pikk Hermann. This striking addition enhances the parliament’s visibility from all directions, defines the previously open forecourt, and integrates seamlessly into the urban fabric—without altering the valuable historic structures or allowing the imposing Russian cathedral to overshadow the Estonian seat of democracy.

The “House of Democracy” symbolizes the connection between parliament and the public, fostering exchange and transparency. Citizens and parliamentarians share several levels and spaces, and a carefully designed circulation system ensures continuous accessibility and insight into political processes. While the tower’s exterior conveys a sense of monumentality and significance, its interior reverses this symbolism: the visitor’s gallery extends into the plenary hall, allowing the public to directly observe parliamentary sessions. Above, a café and an observation deck at the highest point of the building provide additional spaces for engagement. With sweeping views over the capital and beyond, the design underscores the fundamental role of democracy in Estonian society.

The striking sculptural extension of the Estonian Parliament stands powerfully in the Governor’s Garden, marking the southern edge of Tallinn’s Upper Town on Toompea Hill. This five-story solitary structure contrasts sharply with the surrounding old town, the classical palace façade, and the ornate Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

Inspired by the resilience of a rock against the tide, the design establishes a visible, confident space for Estonia’s young democracy. The freestanding structure allows visitors to experience it from all sides and walk along the old city wall, as access to the park and its historic watchtower remains unobstructed. Constructed from cast-in-place concrete with large-scale horizontal panels, the building evokes the limestone cliffs characteristic of the region. The monolithic form exudes a raw, tactile quality, rendered in familiar gray tones. Over time, exposure to the harsh Baltic climate will develop a natural patina, allowing the façade to blend seamlessly into its surroundings.

With an inviting gesture, the foyer opens towards Palace Square, serving as a central hub leading to the restaurant, the exhibition space in the base level, the conference rooms on the first floor, and the visitor’s gallery overlooking the plenary hall on the fourth floor. A gallery tunnel provides a secure and convenient connection between the extension and the existing castle, illuminated by skylights that introduce natural light by day and transform the passage into a dramatic urban threshold at night. A double-deck elevator links the base level to the plenary hall and meeting rooms.

Inside, precisely placed openings frame curated views of the exterior, guiding visitors and parliamentarians intuitively through the building with natural daylight. Carefully positioned voids enhance the sacred quality of the light, fostering a sense of connection between the public and the government. The interplay between the solid core and the monolithic shell creates a dynamic spatial sequence, culminating in the plenary hall, crowned by a wide-spanning, polygonal roof—a defining symbol of Estonia’s democratic presence.

Democracy, by definition, means rule by the people. Therefore, a parliament—the House of Democracy—must be open, accessible, and transparent to all citizens, as it is within these walls that political decisions affecting everyone are made. This transparency is expressed both through uncontrolled peripheral glimpses and through direct political insights into the workings of the institution. The parliament thus becomes a place of encounter between politicians and the public.

The design consists of an ensemble of three pavilion-like structures, positioned on the stone base south of the castle. The first volume, marking the entrance to the complex, defines the previously unstructured forecourt of the castle, giving it a clear spatial form. This introductory building, the Civic Forum, serves as the central arrival and circulation point and remains open to all citizens at all times.

From the foyer, a grand central axis leads visitors through both public and increasingly private areas. Natural light enters the core spaces, such as the foyer and circulation zones, through sunken courtyards.

Visitors then proceed to the second above-ground pavilion, positioned directly above the plenary hall, where a visitor’s gallery allows the public to observe parliamentary sessions in progress. The third pavilion houses a restaurant, accessible via a separate staircase connected to the plenary hall, yet designed to function independently from the parliament.

The internal parliamentary spaces are strategically organized to restrict public access while maintaining transparency. Large glazed openings within the historic city wall’s arches provide glimpses into parliamentary proceedings, ensuring that democracy remains not just a concept, but a visible and shared experience.

The boulder confidently settles against the city wall on the west side of the Riigikogu, approaching the castle. In this way, it connects the political events that once exclusively took place on the plateau with the everyday life at the ground level of the city.

Visitors can approach the boulder from the west, coming from the newer parts of the city, and enter via the former Turkish castle fortifications. For parliamentarians, entry is possible through the courtyard floor, in connection with the existing structure. The positioning of the boulder creates entirely new urban spatial references on the former rear side of the castle.

The building structure follows the “house within a house” logic. The circulation wraps around the internal volume in a counterclockwise direction, creating new air spaces and spatial relationships as it rises. The entrance to the building and all particularly important rooms are directly arranged against the deliberately untouched old city wall.

The lower floors are primarily intended for uses aimed at visitors. On the ground floor, there is a restaurant, cloakroom, and security checkpoint.

On the 1st and 2nd floors, there are library and multimedia rooms with adjoining spaces for workshops and meetings. On the 3rd floor, visitors can look into a floor for additional parliamentary spaces, but cannot access it. Similarly, the observation logic continues on the 4th floor, which offers fascinating views of the plenary hall from the circulation. On the 5th floor, the circulation that spirals around the internal volume ends with a visitor's gallery, from which visitors can see and listen to the plenary hall.

To make the parliament and the castle more attractive for guided tours, the stable, which is located on the opposite side of the body against the city wall, is opened on the side, creating an exit directly into the inner courtyard of the Riigikogu.

Parliamentarians access the plenary hall and administrative rooms via the existing structure through openings in the city wall. An open, two-story foyer in the stable emphasizes the interface between the old and new. In the foyer, a transformed staircase provides access to the 3rd floor of the boulder, which houses additional parliamentary rooms such as the Elder Council Chamber and the fireplace room.

Next to the massive city wall, the new parliament building is designed monolithically for Tallinn. Insulating concrete serves as the outer shell. The internal volume is constructed with reinforced concrete walls and Bubbledeck. Specific large-format openings are planned to invite people to linger, especially making the interface between the outside and inside tangible.

The expansion of the Riigikogu parliament in Tallinn creates a connection between the old and the new, between history and the future. A public forum on 'Lossi Plats,' which is situated to the east of the former Toompea Castle and bounded by the Aleksander Nevsky Cathedral, welcomes visitors at a familiar spot between the parliament and the church.

It is a place of democracy, of publicly accessible discourse, that can be casually accessed.

Along a diverse underground space offering, with openings, widenings, and constrictions, with differentiated light entry and varying spatial situations, the visitor is guided through different layers of time.

As a connecting element, and respecting the site, the new plenary hall is positioned to the west of the old city wall, made visible, and complements the centuries-old structure on Toompea Hill with a panoramic view over the city.