{{Short description|Estonian architect (born 1940)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox architect | name = Toomas Rein | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1940|4|17|df=y}} | birth_place = Tallinn, Estonia | education = Tallinn Polytechnic; Estonian State Art Institute (ERKI) | occupation = Architect; watercolourist }}
'''Toomas Rein''' (born 17 April 1940) is an Estonian architect and watercolourist.<ref name="NOBA">{{cite web |title=Toomas Rein |website=NOBA Nordic Baltic contemporary art platform |url=https://noba.ac/en/artist/toomas-rein/ |access-date=12 January 2026}}</ref> He is particularly associated with modernist architecture in Soviet-era Estonia, including large rural commissions and projects for construction enterprises (KEK).<ref name="VarblaneValjas2010">{{cite web |last1=Varblane |first1=Reet |last2=Väljas |first2=Mait |title=Isepäine modernist Toomas Rein |website=Eesti Arhitektide Liit |url=https://arhliit.ee/reet-varblane-mait-valjas-isepaine-modernist-toomas-rein/ |date=23 April 2010 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et |trans-title=The independent modernist Toomas Rein}}</ref>
Among his best-known works are the Pärnu KEK terraced housing complex ''Kuldne Kodu'' (''Golden Home''), one of the longest residential buildings in Estonia, and the Rapla KEK administrative building, which was designated a cultural monument in 2015.<ref name="DehioKuldneKodu">{{cite web |title=Pärnu, Elamukvartal Kuldne Kodu |website=Dehio OME |url=https://ome.dehio.org/et/ehitis/parnu-elamukvartal-kuldne-kodu |date=1 November 2022 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et}}</ref><ref name="RT2015Monument">{{cite web |title=Kultuurimälestiseks tunnistamine |website=Riigi Teataja |url=https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/307072015008.pdf |date=3 July 2015 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et}}</ref>
== Life and education == Rein was born in Tallinn.<ref name="EALAuthor">{{cite web |title=Toomas Rein |website=Eesti Arhitektide Liit |url=https://arhliit.ee/author/toomas-rein/ |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et}}</ref> He attended Tallinn 1st Secondary School from 1947 to 1954. He graduated from Tallinn Polytechnic in 1958 with a degree in industrial and civil construction and later completed architectural studies at the Estonian State Art Institute (ERKI) in 1967.<ref name="NOBA" /><ref name="EALAuthor" />
== Career and work == Rein’s Soviet-era work is closely linked to modernist rural architecture and to projects commissioned by KEK organisations and collective-farm institutions.<ref name="VarblaneValjas2010" />
=== Pärnu KEK and ''Kuldne Kodu'' === A major project of the Pärnu KEK residential district is the terraced housing complex ''Kuldne Kodu'' (''Golden Home''). It is commonly described as around three-quarters of a kilometre in length; the Dehio OME inventory gives the main terraced building as 726.7 metres long.<ref name="VarblaneValjas2010" /><ref name="DehioKuldneKodu" /> Estonian Public Broadcasting has described it as about 740 metres long and noted its unusual scale in the Estonian context.<ref name="ERRKuldneKodu">{{cite web |title=Vaata enne tele-eetrit: „Ühe maja lugu“ tutvub Pärnu terrasselamuga „Kuldne Kodu“ |website=ERR |url=https://kultuur.err.ee/1608401960/vaata-enne-tele-eetrit-uhe-maja-lugu-tutvub-parnu-terrasselamuga-kuldne-kodu |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et |trans-title=Watch before broadcast: “The story of one house” visits the Pärnu terrace building “Kuldne Kodu”}}</ref>
=== Rapla KEK administrative building === Rein designed the Rapla KEK administrative building (completed 1977), a widely discussed example of late-Soviet modernism in Estonia.<ref name="EALRapla2015">{{cite web |title=Raplamaa kaheksanurk |website=Eesti Arhitektide Liit |url=https://arhliit.ee/raplamaa-kaheksanurk/ |date=9 January 2015 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et |trans-title=Rapla County’s octagon}}</ref> The building was designated a cultural monument in 2015 by the Estonian state.<ref name="RT2015Monument" /> It has also been discussed in heritage and conservation context in English-language materials on Estonia’s cultural heritage.<ref name="CulturalHeritageEnglish">{{cite web |title=Rapla KEK administrative building (Okta Centrum) |work=Estonian cultural heritage: preservation and conservation |url=https://dea.digar.ee/?a=d&d=JVestcultheritage201708.2.7.19&l=en |date=August 2017 |access-date=12 January 2026}}</ref>
=== Suur Munamägi observation tower === Rein prepared a reconstruction project for the Suur Munamägi observation tower in 1999–2000; the tower reopened after major works on 24 July 2005.<ref name="SuurMunamagiHistory">{{cite web |title=Ajalugu |website=Suur Munamägi |url=https://suurmunamagi.ee/ajalugu/ |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et |trans-title=History}}</ref>
== Film == A documentary portrait film about Rein, ''Ehituskunstnik Toomas Rein'' (''Construction Artist Toomas Rein''), is listed in the Estonian Film Database (EFIS) as a 2010 documentary and has been screened by professional architecture institutions.<ref name="EFISFilm">{{cite web |title=Construction Artist Toomas Rein (2010) |website=EFIS – Estonian Film Database |url=https://www.efis.ee/en/film/16489 |access-date=12 January 2026}}</ref><ref name="EALEvent2011">{{cite web |title=Dokumentaalfilm “Ehituskunstnik Toomas Rein” |website=Eesti Arhitektide Liit |url=https://arhliit.ee/events/dokumentaalfilm-ehituskunstnik-toomas-rein/ |date=26 April 2011 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et}}</ref>
== Awards and honours == * 2000 – State cultural prize for the architectural design of the extension to Otepää Gymnasium (listed under the 2000 prizes).<ref name="KulPreemiad">{{cite web |title=Eesti Vabariigi kultuuripreemiad |website=Ministry of Culture (Estonia) |url=https://www.kul.ee/eesti-vabariigi-kultuuripreemiad |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et |trans-title=State cultural prizes of the Republic of Estonia}}</ref> * 2012 – Order of the White Star, IV Class.<ref name="RT2012WhiteStar">{{cite web |title=Riiklike autasude andmine |website=Riigi Teataja |url=https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/303022012017 |date=1 February 2012 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et}}</ref> * 2014 – Perekond Kreisi Architecture Prize.<ref name="EALKreisi2014">{{cite web |title=Perekond Kreisi arhitektuuripreemia pälvis Toomas Rein |website=Eesti Arhitektide Liit |url=https://arhliit.ee/perekond-kreisi-arhitektuuripreemia-palvis-toomas-rein/ |date=30 May 2014 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et}}</ref> * 2020 – State cultural lifetime achievement award (life’s work).<ref name="EALElutoo2020">{{cite web |title=Arhitekt Toomas Rein pälvis kultuuri elutööpreemia |website=Eesti Arhitektide Liit |url=https://arhliit.ee/arhitekt-toomas-rein-palvis-kultuuri-elutoopreemia/ |date=6 February 2020 |access-date=12 January 2026 |language=et}}</ref>
== Selected works == * ''Kuldne Kodu'' terraced housing complex, Pärnu (Pärnu KEK)<ref name="DehioKuldneKodu" /> * Rapla KEK administrative building (Okta Centrum), Rapla<ref name="RT2015Monument" /> * Viljandi fire station (Viljandi tuletõrjedepoo)<ref name="VarblaneValjas2010" /> * Extension to Otepää Gymnasium (Otepää Gümnaasium)<ref name="KulPreemiad" /> * Reconstruction of the Suur Munamägi observation tower<ref name="SuurMunamagiHistory" />
== Gallery == <gallery> Kuldne Kodu - Photo24 22A.jpg|''Kuldne Kodu'' terraced housing complex in Pärnu Viljandi tuletõrjedepoo 3.jpg|Tower of the Viljandi fire station Rapla Okta Centrum 07.08.2011 panoram.jpg|Rapla KEK administrative building (Okta Centrum) WMEE-exp2019-(160) Tsooru kolhoosikeskuse varemed.jpg|Ruins of the Tsooru kolkhoz centre </gallery>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{in lang|et}} [https://arhliit.ee/author/toomas-rein/ Toomas Rein] at the Estonian Association of Architects * [https://www.efis.ee/en/film/16489 ''Construction Artist Toomas Rein''] at EFIS (Estonian Film Database) * [https://noba.ac/en/artist/toomas-rein/ Toomas Rein] at NOBA
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rein, Toomas}} Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:Estonian architects Category:People from Tallinn Category:Estonian Academy of Arts alumni Category:Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 4th Class