Rapla KEK-i haldushoone, Administrative building in Rapla, Estonia.
Rapla KEK-i haldushoone is a three-story administrative building with a distinctive octagonal pyramidal form in Rapla. The facade is clad with white ceramic tiles from Ukraine, while metal structures from Leningrad provide structural support throughout the building.
The building was constructed between 1971 and 1977 under Soviet rule as an engineering center for the Rapla KEK collective farm, designed by architect Toomas Rein. The choice of unusual materials and forms reflects how Soviet economic planning brought industrial modernism to rural areas.
The building displays Soviet design principles through its unusual octagonal shape, which sets it apart from typical residential blocks and administrative structures of the era. Visitors can observe how imported materials and geometric forms represented modernist thinking in rural Estonia during this period.
The building is located at Mahlamäe Street 10 and currently serves as Okta Centrum, hosting multiple businesses in its commercial spaces. Visitors can view the exterior freely, though interior access depends on the normal business operations of the occupants.
The structure was built on former marshland, demonstrating Soviet capacity to develop challenging terrain. The octagonal design was a deliberate choice against the monotonous architecture of the period, showcasing architectural experimentation during the Soviet era.
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