Edgar-Johan Kuusik

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Edgar-Johan Kuusik (February 22, 1888 in Valgjärve, Estonia - August 3, 1974 in Tallinn, Estonia) was an Estonian architect (mostly freelance) and furniture and interior designer. His 1920s style can be described as a mix of baroque, traditional art and expressionism, which was characteristic to almost all architects of the young Republic of Estonia at that time. This interesting mix of styles started to fade at the end of the decade when functionalism took over, as can be seen in Kuusik's best-known work - Kunstihoone (the Art building) in Tallinn (1934, with Anton Soans), which was unfortunately ruined in the 1960s when one storey was added. In the end of 1930s, more historicistic details appeared in Kuusik's work. In 1922 he drew the plans for the idyllic Tamme garden city in Tartu. Kuusik has also designed the interiors and furniture for several historic and institutional buildings.^[1]

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Kunstihoone on Freedom Square. The original composition has been ruined with the added storey.

Same building from a different angle.

Sakala street 1 - this building was designed in 1938, but its completion was halted during World War II. In 1947 it was finally completed. Now used as a theatre (NO99).