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Except Integrated sustainability.

Flourish in a changing world.

Multi-disciplinary consulting, innovation and development organization working on advanced sustainability projects around the globe.

Arkna Eco-Park Masterplan

Project > Self sustaining tourism community in Estonia

Jul 27, 2016

In Rakvere, Estonia, we developed the masterplan for the 671 Ha self-reliant Arkna Eco-Park. The park is built on a historical site tracing back to 1527, and becomes a primary tourist destination in the country, including a Polydome sustainable agriculture system.

We worked with Arkna Eco-Park to build a complete masterplan template for years to come, including its marketing strategy, identity, logos and brochures, closed loop metabolism, food system, event program, and design guidelines.

When the Arkna Eco-Park is completed, it provides an exemplary self-reliant living environment, producing diverse food for the surrounding region. The park includes a beautiful manor from 1879 restored as a restaurant and hotel, a dairy farm, herb gardens, cheese making, a luxury spa, several hotels, camping and plenty of cultural activities.

"Arkna Eco-Park is an impressive example of innovation and cultural heritage in Estonia. This kind of collaboration between modern and historic, useful and beautiful will definitely be one of the best examples in Europe."
- Marko Torm, Head of Lääne-Viru County

The Masterplan

As an official Arkna Eco-Park sponsor, we’ve provided a comprehensive Masterplan that includes:

Strategy, including market, spatial, long term sustainability strategy
Closed loop metabolism, including water, electricity, heat, waste, and food
Planning, including landscape, routing,
Design, including architecture, clothing guidlines, landscape and product labeling
Marketing, including the Arkna identity, brochures, Social Media strategy and Events
Business case development

The Eco-Park

Arkna Eco-Park in Estonia encompasses a sustainable farm, health and wellness center, and vibrant community around a 16th century village and its restored manor. Within 100 km of Tallinn, Arkna’s lush open spaces alternating with woodlands provide a place where mind, body and soul is regenerated, inspired and engaged to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Visitors can try their hands at at a variety of skills through workshops to experience the beauty of this self-reliant living park. The natural setting offers peace and quiet, from a herbal garden to the river.

Housing in the village restores existing social housing typology buildings into beautifully integrated residences.

A special addition is a EU supported Polydome polyculture greenhouse, a unique production system for fresh produce, to be the first of its kind in the world.

Arkna Identity

We developed the Arkna Identity, along with guidelines for product labeling, clothing, and building design.

A self sufficient park

The Masterplan provides for a self sufficient park in about 5-10 years time, which is made possible through an integrated park metabolism where resource cycles are closed as much as possible.

Above an example of one of many system maps created to develop the strategy for the park.

Media & Downloads

Downloads:

Arkna Eco-Park Brochure

Masterplan Eco-Park Arkna

Reference Projects

The Future of Sterkenburg

Medieval castle Sterkenburg innovates a new future

Historic sites struggle to find business models that protect and optimize their cultural heritage in a rapidly changing world. The owners of the medieval castle of Sterkenburg in Driebergen decided to take up this challenge, looking for new ways to reignite its economic and social value. They engaged a multidisciplinary group of sustainability experts from Except Integrated Sustainability, who developed a special program to help historic sites unearth their opportunities. The resulting roadmap delivers concrete, immediate cost savings in the short term, and new ways for the castle to play a role in both today’s, and tomorrow’s society.