Väino Tamm

Väino Tamm was born in Tallinn, however he lived in Järvamaa. His mother Erna was a teacher, his father Gustav was an agronomist.

He studied in Ambla, Alatskivi and Reola primary schools in 1938–44. In 1945-49 he studied in Tapa high school, where one of his classmates was Teddy Böckler, who later became known as an architect and an architectural historian (he also graduated the interior design department in 1955).[2]

1949-1955 Väino Tamm studied interior design at Tallinn's National Applied Arts Institution (later known as ERKI, nowadays EKA), he graduated cum laude.

1955-1958 he was a professor at Tartu School of Fine Arts (later Tartu Art School).

1958-1959 economist at the furniture factory ‘Puit’.

1959-1970 locum professor in ERKI.

1968-1986 head of the interior design department in ERKI.

1970–1986 associate professor of the interior design department.

From 1958 he was a member of the Union of Architects in Estonia.

1967 Estonian SSR respected architect.

His wife Leelo-Helgi Tamm was a philologist,[3] he had two children - Pille Lausmäe (born 23.04.1958, also an interior architect; mother of the interior architect Ville Lausmäe) and Kalevi Tamm.

Väino Tamm is buried in Metsakalmistu.

Väino Tamm was one of the most recognized interior architects in the 1960s. His work is characterized by the influences of rigorous and minimalist Nordic modernism, which, as new architectural trends, dealt with the functionality, restraint of the form, and the overall effect of the space and the interior architecture layout.

He started as an interior designer in the second half of the 1950s when he finished his first project, which included the interiors and furniture of the ‘Park’ Hotel in Tartu.

Ascetic design of the interiors of the Tallinn Pegasus Cafe[5] (1963, with Leila Pärtelpoeg and Allan Murdmaa), the Alvar Aalto curved veneer furniture is an influence for this furniture design. The Pegasus chairs play a very important role in the history of Estonian furniture. There are two dark painted plywood boards bent over a heavy iron structure, they are apart from each other and at a small angle, on the upper fifth of the back of the chair is a metal clip holding together the two veneers. The cafe was spread out on three floors, the first floor was a wardrobe, the second and third café dining rooms. On top of the spiral staircase that connected the three floors there was Estonia's first abstract cafe sculpture - Edgar Viiese's "Pegasus" made out of polished aluminum. The simple and spacious effect of the interior was achieved by a large curtainless window on one wall, overlooking the St. Nicholas Church and Harju Street's green area. The room was white and spacious, without separated areas or partitions. Also, the gray plastered walls with conical wall lamps placed in a geometric regularity, the light of which was directed towards the wall and reflected from it, gave a mild and enchanting impression. Pegasus became an important place for the birth of culture and an overall cultural scene, Pegasus’ youthfulness in the interior was strongly opposed to those of the other cafes at that time.

Laconic ones were also Tallinn restaurant "Gloria" (1963, with L. Pärtelpoja and A. Murdmaaga), cafe "Tallinn" (1967–69, co-author Vello Asi) and bar "Karoliina" (1968, co-author V. Asi). In the 1960s, the unique design of the Old Town café's became a true indicator of furnishing trends. Radically reorganized were features that were retained from previous times, as well as elements referring to history. Gloria's most impressive part was the big hall with live music, a special look was given to the hall by a suspended ceiling (made out of laminate slabs) with its angular lamps. In the cafe "Tallinn" instead of the using the original custom-made chairs, they used the authentic vienna chairs bent from beechwood that were remaining from the fire at the University of Tartu. These chairs fitted perfectly in the Old Town interior because of their historical cafe-chair image. The chairs were complemented by small square tables with rounded legs. A modern look was created by a horizontally positioned decorative deck covering one wall, with minimalist clothes racks . By the way, the "Tallinn" cafe and other confectionery products were famous all over the city. The varietee ceiling on the second floor of the cafe "Tallinn" as well as the "Karoliina" wineshelf of the bar were formed by welding the empty, bottomless cups from the fish compound. The interior of "Karoliina" had the most historic aura - the exhibited wall and the arched ceiling and the tables made out of the trunks of ancient trees. The modernity of the room was expressed on one wall in some square lamps, that were mounted close to the floor, which created mystical glow with a spotlight on the wall.

The interior of the Kurtna poultry test station (1967, Soviet Estonian Award 1967; all together with Vello Asi) seems to be like a reversed exterior, that has some repetitive materials as well as forms. In the hall the opposite direction of the lines, that arise from the combination of benches, brick walls and from the longitudinal wood ferm ceilings, is emphasized . Furniture also leaves an architectural impression. Similar to Tuljak, the ceiling is studded in straight lines with rounded copper lamp globes. The Nordic effect is given by the choice of materials, which are very close to nature: wood, copper, brick, glass. The most important part of the room, that also shapes the room is light. With the gradual ceiling the light gives the room a sacral expression. An abstract metal sculpture made by Riho Kuld also stood in the hall. The building won the Soviet Estonian Prize in 1967 and became a major object of admiration and a destination for excursions. Today the main building has become a hotel, the original finishing materials for the hall and lobby interiors have been preserved and the fireplace furniture has been restored.

At first Väino Tamm started planning the interiors of the Vanemuine Theater with Leila Pärtelpoeg, but completed it with Vello Asi, who joined the project when Tamm was in Finland. The project was officially done by Tamm alone, although several books published in the years of the 1960s-70s mention V.Asi as the co-author. The materials of the Vanemuise 700-seat theater hall were chosen based on the acoustic calculations. The large contrast of the room arose between a light floor, the artificial marble-covered walls and black furniture, above a curved plastered ceiling.

The hotel "Viru" designed in Tallinn was one of the most controversial new buildings in Estonia's 20th-century architecture. The hotel lounges, restaurant and varietee designed by Väino Tamm (1970-72 with V. Asi and Loomet Raudsepp; Soviet Estonia Prize 1972); The entire plan of the hotel is one of the most illustrious examples of the 1970s international style in Estonia. As a contemporary interior, you could sense the effects of Japanese traditional design of space in the direction of laconicism, which was expressed in particular in an empty hall that contained only some necessary furniture. A good example was Arne Jacobsen's Copenhagen Radisson SAS Hotel, which, unfortunately, did not get materialized with its designed ashtrays and tableware, but the interior architecture, however, was still created on an even level.

By taking in consideration the existing design of the "Estonia" theater, the reconstruction of the theatre (1975) has been solved.

As the last work, the interiors of Pirita's sailing center were completed (1980 with V. Asi, Leo Leesaar, Juta Lember and Aulo Padar).

Published articles on space design (mainly in the almanac "Kunst ja Kodu")

We can not fail to mention the importance of nearly thirty years of collaboration with Vello Asi, during which several important objects were completed, and together for decades they educated young interior designers.

• 1954 The II Prize of the Republican Furniture of the Standard Furniture
• 1958 All-Union Furniture Competition II Prize
• 1960 1st prize at the ETKVL Cafeteria and Restaurants furniture competition
• 1967 Estonian SSR respected architect
• 1967 Soviet Estonia Prize for the main building of the Kurtna Poultry Experimental Station (co-author V. Asi)
• 1970 Medal for Excellent work
• 1972 The Soviet Estonia Prize in the hotel Viru designers' team
• 1980 Annual Prize at the Artists Union designers section for the Pirita Sailing Center