One of the most dedicated and distinctive practices in the new wave of Northern European architecture, KOKO has amassed a portfolio studded with brand-new buildings alongside sensitive restorations of some of the region’s most prized historical gems. KOKO’s particular passion is for the latter – breathing new life into old architecture. The achievements over the last 15 years have netted the firm a number of prestigious European awards, and one of the historical projects received the highest European award for conservation and restoration of cultural heritage – Grand Prix of the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards.
Founded in 2000, KOKO enjoyed an international breakthrough with its very first project – the Estonian pavilion at the Hannover World’s Fair. The design – featuring spruce trees on the pavilion roof with carrots for roots, embedded in limestone – felt like a fresh breeze at the time and 16 years later, the practice still receives positive notice for the project.
KOKO’s calling card is its ability to tap into the deeper archetypes and stories behind the buildings, and do it in a way that doesn’t just preserve centuries of history but adds a modern yet timeless twist for just as many years to come. The portfolio is underpinned by a Nordic ethos in mapping the building’s “genome” and finding the ideal point of equilibrium between the old and the new.
One of KOKO’s international best-known landmarks is Fahle House, which won the Estonian Annual Prize for Architecture and was shortlisted for Design of the Year by London Design Museum, represented an ambitious enhancement on a historical structure. KOKO has also designed a number of projects for Tallinn’s Old Town, a UNESCO site. The historical Seaplane Harbour and the Rotermann Carpenter’s Workshop have a new lease on life. KOKO is also the name behind the unique Tallinn Synagogue and the renovation of Tallinn TV tower.
Selected awards
• 2013 EU Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards 2013 / Conservation / Grand Prix / Seaplane Harbour
• 2014 European Museum Forum / European Museum of the Year Award / Special Commendation / Seaplane Harbour
• 2013 DOMUS International award for restoration and preservation / Ex Aequo Silver Medal / Seaplane Harbour
• 2013 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture / Mies van der Rohe Award / Nominee / Seaplane Harbour
• 2012 Swedish Business Awards / Estonia / Environmental Award / Seawater heating system for Seaplane Harbour
• 2009 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture / Mies van der Rohe Award / Shortlisted / Rotermann Carpenter’s Workshop
• 2009 EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture / Mies van der Rohe Award / Nominee / Tallinn Synagogue
• 2007 London Design Museum / Design of the Year / Category: architecture / Shortlisted as finalist / Fahle House
The work of the KOKO architects comes down to the context – history, environment and people. We add as little as possible yet as much as necessary to amplify the uniqueness and distinctiveness of the existing architecture.