In the beginning of May, we completed the construction of heating, cooling, water, and sewerage systems in a very special and historically rich site – the Patarei Sea Fortress.
This large-scale and historic complex, which is under heritage protection, is being reconstructed and partially conserved. The first stage will see the completion of a 5,000 m² museum, which will open to visitors in the summer of 2026.
HIIEKO built the technical systems for the museum section. Due to the unique features of the building – such as thick walls, vaulted ceilings, and other historical elements – the work was interesting and required inventive solutions. The client wished to preserve a significant portion of the building’s interior, which made the design and installation of technical systems a challenge of its own. All work had to be carried out with the utmost caution and respect for the historical elements.
“We are grateful to be entrusted with increasingly large, unique, and responsible projects,” says Hendrik Pass, Chairman of the Board at Hiieko. “I believe that demanding renovation projects – in our case, for example, Tallinn Secondary School of Science, Ristiku Primary School, and the Patarei Sea Fortress – demonstrate our team’s capability to find solutions for complex sites.”
The work schedule was tight. Hiieko built the entire heating, cooling, water, and sewerage system in just six months. Since the furnishing of the museum will be undertaken in the next stage, all sanitary installations will be completed in the coming months.
Margus Piispea, project manager at general contractor Bildgren Ehitus OÜ, had only praise for the work performed by Hiieko: “We wish to express our sincere thanks for the excellent cooperation on the construction of the complex and challenging Patarei Sea Fortress museum. Your team’s professionalism and flexibility played a crucial role in the project’s timely and high-quality completion. Despite the nature of the work and the difficulties encountered, we were able to find effective solutions together and achieve the desired result.”
The developer of the Patarei Sea Fortress is US Real Estate. The reconstruction project was prepared by Virtex OÜ, the museum’s interior architecture was designed by KOKO Architects, and the main contractor is Bildgren Ehitus OÜ. The museum tenant is State Real Estate Ltd (Riigi Kinnisvara AS). We also thank Eco Point OÜ, the supplier of heat exchangers; AS Onninen; OÜ Küttemaailm, the supplier of radiators; and Hekamerk OÜ, who provided other materials. We are happy to have contributed to the repurposing of this landmark building complex.
Photos: US Real Estate (photographer Tõnu Tunnel) and AS HIIEKO
