Color and community unite at Tallinn Zoo, Estonia

Sadolin Let’s Colour revitalized Estonia’s Tallinn Zoo by transforming souvenir kiosks, the zoo bus stop, and creating a feature wall with animal-inspired artworks. In collaboration with students from the Tartu Art School, the initiative brought art into the urban environment and promoted nature conservation.

From brushstrokes to wildlife

Tallinn Zoo is a haven for 8,000 different animal species and plays a crucial role in advocating environmental education and conservation research. Every year it attracts around 370,000 visitors, including local residents, but also international visitors from Finland and Estonia.

To add color and promote the zoo’s vast biodiversity, Sadolin Let’s Colour decided to support a colorful makeover. The initiative focused on reviving three souvenir kiosks, the zoo bus stop, and a children’s playground wall with colorful animal motifs. In collaboration with students from the renowned Tartu Art School, 45 AkzoNobel employees transformed the spaces using more than 300 liters of Sadolin paint. A total of 150 people participated in the project.

Inspiration, solace, and preservation

The designs were created by a joint Estonian-Ukrainian team consisting of students from the Tartu Art School.

Adele Marie Peterson, a skilled third-year student specializing in decoration, was inspired by her deep love for animals to create unique zoo-inspired designs. Her vibrant artworks now adorn the wall of the children’s playground.

The iconic zoo bus stop, a recognized landmark of the Tallinn Zoo, also received a colorful makeover. The design was meticulously crafted by Olha Lakiza, a Ukrainian artist who previously worked as a landscape designer. After her displacement by the war, Olha found solace in Estonia and continued her artistic pursuits at the Tartu Art School. In explaining her creative process, Olha emphasized her choice to include Estonian animals in the interior wall design, driven by the belief in the importance of valuing and preserving local nature.

But the project didn’t stop there. Three historic souvenir kiosks were also transformed, leaving a lasting impact. Selene Taur, a talented third-year student at Tartu Art School, focused on capturing the nocturnal essence of animals in her artistic endeavors.

The Sadolin Let’s Colour event was accompanied by a delightful trumpet quartet and a performance by a singing duo of students from the Tallinn School of Music and Ballet (MUBA). The Illu café came to life with live music, adding to the festive atmosphere, while the brand-new Southeast Asian rainforest exposition was unveiled.

Uniting through art

In their quest to recognize art as an integral part of public space, AkzoNobel Baltics expressed its sincere appreciation for the incredible partners who have made the Sadolin Let’s Colour project a reality. Tallinn Zoo, Tartu Art School, Tallinn Transport Department, and MUBA, as well as volunteers, students, and their mentors played a vital role in bringing this initiative to life.

“The aim of the project is to bring beautiful art to the urban environment, and thanks to the Let’s Colour initiative, it will be possible to enjoy works of art inspired by zoo animals in the future. We believe that the designs will add a lot of color to the zoo and delight all future visitors,” said Maiu Väli, AkzoNobel Baltics marketing specialist and event coordinator.

The Sadolin Let’s Colour project stands as a testament to the transformative power of paint, bringing joy, inspiration, and a renewed sense of beauty to the urban landscape.

Find out more about Sadolin Estonia.