From Shopping Hub to Sports Platform
In the heart of Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, a familiar city landmark has found a completely new purpose. On the rooftop of the iconic Viru Keskus, long known as a shopping and cultural hub, two padel courts, a lounge bar, and a relaxation area now overlook the city skyline.
What was once unused roof space has been transformed into a lively arena of energy and connection. Together with Padel Company, Viru Keskus has turned its rooftop into a public playground in the sky, a place where shopping, sport, and social life blend seamlessly.
Here, movement isn’t hidden behind walls; it’s visible, accessible, and celebrated.
Why Build Padel Courts on the Roof?
Downtown Tallinn faces the same challenge as many European cities: space is limited. Every square meter is contested between housing, traffic, and commerce. Expanding outward is no longer an option. The only way is up.
The idea behind the project was simple yet bold: if the city is running out of ground space, create new possibilities on top of what already exists.
By activating the rooftop, Viru Keskus adds not only commercial but also social and health value. The result is a completely new layer of city life, one that connects people through movement.
Instead of simply being a place to shop, Viru Keskus now invites visitors to stay longer, play, relax, and enjoy the city from a different perspective. It’s a new kind of urban experience, one that combines vitality, leisure, and design.
What you’ll find on the roof
The rooftop padel center features two panoramic courts with glass walls and open views across Tallinn. The courts are surrounded by a lightweight steel structure that protects players from the wind while maintaining a feeling of openness.
Next to the courts lies a lounge and refreshment area, where visitors can relax between matches or simply soak up the atmosphere of the city below.
The rooftop also includes a 110-meter running loop and an outdoor fitness zone, while players have access to locker rooms and showers via the MyFitness facilities inside the building.
Access is possible both through the shopping mall and directly from the parking garage, allowing extended use beyond regular opening hours.
This combination of design, accessibility, and atmosphere makes the rooftop an example of how existing urban infrastructure can be reimagined for movement and well-being.
“Tallinn proves that a roof isn’t the end of a building, it’s the beginning of something new.”
From grey roof to urban energy
Most city rooftops remain invisible, grey, technical, and forgotten. In Tallinn, that narrative is changing. The rooftop of Viru Keskus proves that vitality can literally take place above our heads.
The benefits go beyond sport alone: ✔ More space for physical activity without new construction ✔ Increased liveliness in the city center ✔ New meeting places for social interaction and well-being ✔ Stronger urban identity and quality of life
In that sense, this rooftop is more than a sports facility, it’s a statement about how cities can evolve. It shows that even existing buildings can contribute to a healthier, more connected society if we dare to rethink how we use space.
Why It Works
Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world for a reason. It’s social, fun, and easy to learn. That makes it perfect for a place like Viru Keskus, where diverse audiences, office workers, shoppers, tourists, and locals, cross paths every day.
The rooftop becomes a social catalyst. People come to play but stay for the experience. Where street level is defined by traffic and noise, the rooftop offers air, light, and energy.
As one of the founders of Padel Company put it: “Sport shouldn’t be hidden behind walls. Up here, you can see what movement does to a city, it brings energy, literally and figuratively.”
What Tallinn teaches us
The lesson from Tallinn is clear: the future of healthy cities isn’t always found in new developments, but in reusing what’s already there.
Thousands of rooftops in Europe, offices, sports halls, warehouses, parking garages, are waiting to be rediscovered. Viru Keskus shows that transformation doesn’t start with technology, but with imagination.
Here’s what it teaches urban planners, businesses, and designers:
Think vertically. When ground space runs out, look upward.
Design for people, not just functions. A roof can host sport, community, and greenery.
Collaborate. Projects like this happen through partnerships between entrepreneurs, architects, and city leaders.
Make vitality visible. Movement in plain sight inspires others, it turns health into part of the city’s identity.
From Roof to Movement
Viru Keskus is more than a sports facility; it’s a symbol of transformation. A place once known only for commerce now celebrates energy, connection, and life.
Just as Copenhagen’s CopenHill turned an industrial plant into a sports mountain, Tallinn’s rooftop padel courts show that infrastructure and inspiration can coexist. With creativity and courage, even the most functional structures can become sources of vitality.
The 360° Takeaway
The rooftops of our cities are filled with untapped potential. Viru Keskus demonstrates that the path toward more active, healthier cities doesn’t require more land, only a new perspective.
Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as a game of padel above the skyline.