# Toomas Rein

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{{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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Gustav_Adolf_Grammar_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](/source/Estonian_Academy_of_Arts) (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](/source/Suur_Munam%C3%A4gi_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](/source/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](/source/Otep%C3%A4%C3%A4) 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](/source/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

{{Authority control}}

{{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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Toomas Rein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toomas_Rein) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toomas_Rein?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.