The Niguliste Museum

Redefining experiential design for highly awaited transit

submitted by Doppler

Doppler delivered a statement panoramic lift to the Niguliste Museum that “preserves, studies and presents medieval and early modern ecclesiastical art”[1] in Tallinn, Estonia, to accommodate the daily means of vertical transit. According to the museum’s website,[1] “the museum is housed in St. Nicholas’ Church, which was built in the 13th century, and is one of the few museums in northern Europe located in a former church building, where ecclesiastical art can be enjoyed in its historical context.” The church experienced a lot of destruction during World War II, taking a direct hit in March 1944. Reconstruction began in 1953, and in 1984, the church opened as a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia.^[1]

Lift Needed

The lift was needed to provide access to the church tower and skydeck. Approaching the sky, the new glass lift and skydeck were fully harmonized with the environment of the immaculate historic tower of the Niguliste Museum. The lift rises through three floors to the skydeck, where unique views of Old Town, Tallinn Bay and in all four directions are available.

The Niguliste Kirik, which does not function as a consecrated church but, rather, as a museum, is a heritage-protected site. A Soviet-era lift shaft is still intact, meaning the transit does not infringe on regulations. The elevator traverses three floors, including the viewing platform, which allows virtually 360° views across the capital and environs.

The lift and the skydeck are unique in Estonia. Everyone, including those with special needs, can use the lift to reach the top of the tower. Alternatively, the reconstructed staircase can be used to move between the floors to examine the architecture of the tower and all its details at leisure.

Lift Specifics

Doppler specially designed a new version of its Focus lift — which was originally created in 2018 — for this project. The Focus LH model was designed in collaboration with the project architect to meet the requirements of the archaeological site and incorporate the historical surroundings. The Focus LH is machine-room-less with 750-kg capacity, travels 45,000 mm at 1 m/s with four stops. It has a semi-round panoramic cabin. The Focus solution was chosen because it is electric, giving respect for the cultural monument and the environment. 

The lift needed special preparation with a steel structure so the mechanical part could be installed and the full glass doors could provide 360° views to visitors. It is a handmade design to match the importance and the history of its location while providing maximum safety, strength and aesthetics. 

The quote period for the project was in January 2022, with design approval in March 2022, dispatch in August 2022 and installation in December 2022. The local partner on the project was Hertsog Lift OÜ.

A project of this nature wasn’t without its complexities, but the experienced Doppler team “saw them, analyzed them and dealt with them.” The company continued:

“First of all, we had to fit the lift in the round glass pit. We had to specially design its support to be safe but also as invisible as possible to respect the architecture of the temple. Also, we wanted to provide a ‘silent’ solution that serves the visitors of the monument without disturbing the internal harmony of the overall feeling of the location. With Doppler being an expert on bespoke lift solutions, all the above demands were successfully met.”

Reference

[1] nigulistemuuseum.ekm.ee/en