Called Taru, short for tark ruum, or "smart space," the 24,600-square-meter complex located next door to the Seaplane Harbor includes an office building and a party underground museum space, anchored by a main building with arched glass facades and a roof of shipbuilding-inspired criss-crossing glued laminated timber beams.

Once completed, it will become Estonia's largest wooden building, with extensive timber used in its structures, facades and interiors.

The main building will also house a waterfront cafe and event spaces, while its lobby, unlike the complex office building, will remain open to the public.

Although construction is due to finish in November, installing museum exhibits will take at least another year, pushing the Museum of Natural History's expected opening at its new location to late next year.

The Nature House site will also incorporate landscaped plots representing Estonia's various natural environments, with further greenery to be incorporated into the main building's lobby and museum exterior.

The design is based on Estonian architecture firm Kavakava's winning entry in a 2019 international design competition. Nordecon is building the complex under a €54.4 million contract, excluding VAT.

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