A grocery store, cafes, and more leisure facilities – these are the main wishes that emerged from Metro’s anthropological mapping among residents near Pirita Road 28.
Metro is developing a new community center, Marienberg, on the current site of Estonian Fairs Exhibition Centre, which will transform the area into a modern urban space with cozy cafes, a grocery store, beauty services, and leisure facilities. To better understand local expectations and concerns, Metro partnered with the Center of Anthropology, who helped map the attitudes of neighborhood residents as an independent partner. Anthropologists conducted three observations and spoke with locals. The snowball sampling method was used to find interviewees, helping to reach people living near the Estonian Fairs Exhibition Centre. In total, four interviews were conducted with seven people, including both supporters and skeptics of the development. Given that this was an initial mapping using qualitative research methods, the final sample was sufficient for an anthropologist’s trained eye to identify patterns in the rich data collected.
“We received confirmation for several of our ideas, but also got fresh insights,” says Herdis Pärn, Marketing Director at Metro. “For example, we had already sensed that the area lacks a proper grocery store and entertainment venues. The mapping confirmed this.”
The mapping hasn’t remained just on paper but has already inspired action. “When we noticed that people are very active in the area during their free time – walking, spending time with children – we had the idea to fix up the old volleyball court to make it playable again,” explains Pärn. “We’ve also launched an innovative walking tour that introduces the vision for Marienberg, and we have several exciting initiatives planned for the future.”
The mapping revealed that while everyone expects change in the current exhibition center area, visions for the future differ. Some locals would like to see a vibrant urban environment with services and a community center. The area is currently described as a dormitory district, lacking essential everyday services.
Others would prefer to see an outdoor area for recreation and are concerned about traffic load and logistics during song festivals.
The mapping revealed some surprising findings:
From the project’s inception, Metro has aimed to involve the surrounding community in discussions about the area’s future. For instance, locals were able to vote on the new district’s name, resulting in the choice of Marienberg. The name Marienberg has strong historical roots, being the original name of Maarjamäe Palace built in 1874. The name “Maarjamägi” came into use in the late 1930s as a translation of Marienberg.
“We want to create an environment that considers all stakeholders,” confirms Pärn. “Marienberg isn’t just a new residential area, but an opportunity to create something more – something that respects both history and the future.”
A great way to familiarize yourself with the vision for Marienberg is to join our innovative walking tour, which introduces the area’s future plans. We welcome you to join the tour and share any other thoughts or suggestions – write to us at sales@metro.ee!
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