Zaha Hadid Architects has designed a wavy roof for the Rail Baltic Ülemiste terminal, unlike anything previously built in Estonia.

The roof panels for the waiting platforms, as well as part of the building's facade, are being manufactured at the family-owned Parmet factory in Otepää.

A small section of the roof has been set up in the company's yard for testing and demonstration.

"These are standard powder-coated aluminum panels that meet a specific quality grade. What makes it complex is that the building is very curvy, so the panels are bent, curved in radius. Not just in one direction, but in two and in some places even three directions, like actual propeller shapes," said Parmet's head of design, Karlis Kikkas.

A number of practical issues also have to be considered. For example, how to remove snow that accumulates between the waves.

Over the next couple of years, the Ülemiste terminal will be Parmet's most important project. The necessary equipment is already in place, and more workers will likely need to be hired.

"This is the largest and most complex project we have undertaken so far, both in scale and difficulty. It is probably also the biggest and most complex project in all of Estonia," said Parmet's founder and owner, Elmo Parik.

"In total, the roof, facade, and ceiling panels will cover about 20,000 square meters, in addition to roughly 3,500 linear meters of bronze-colored slats to be mounted on the building—also part of our contract. These will go in front of the glass facades and in some places run across the coverings as well," Kikkas said.

All components are being made in Otepää; the structures will be assembled in Ülemiste.

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