The housing crisis, a condition long evident in Europe, has begun to manifest in Estonia as a crisis of affordability as opposed to supply scarcity. Although large housing estates are being developed, most of the provided dwellings are sold to rent to private local and foreign investors, with municipal housing rate at one of the lowest in Europe at less than 2%. Over the 34 years of Estonian independence, the gap between market-driven housing prices and wage levels has widened starkly, while housing prices are currently rising at the fastest pace in Europe. The home is no longer affordable.

The exhibition delves into the reasons behind and possible solutions to the local housing crisis through six exhibits from various architecture collectives. Our proposal focuses on the ‘soft’ densification of heritage-protected low-density former industrial settlements around central Tallinn.