Last week, Delta Centre received its cornerstone. It will be built in the city centre of Tartu, next to the shore of Emajõgi river. Scientists, students, and companies interested in scientific cooperation will start working there.
“In Estonia, Delta Centre will be the most important hub of information technology, mathematics, and economics, which supports advancing science in entrepreneurship and engages entrepreneurs in the development of the university’s core activities”, said Toomas Asser, Rector of the University of Tartu. “An important additional proof of the necessity of this building is the fact that University of Tartu enrolment is extraordinarily successful in IT specialities”.
Delta Centre will be finished by 2020. Author: arhitekt11 OÜ
The centre, which will be finished by 2020, will have a four-storey education and research building (total surface area of 17 500 m2) and a five-storey business building (total surface area of 4700 m2). The education and research building brings together UT information technology, computer science, computer engineering and robotics, economic science and business education, mathematics, and statistical learning and research. The UT Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation will also move into the house, which will help with its support services to bring research-based entrepreneurship as close to the university as possible. Research-based enterprises that are open to diverse cooperation with the university will become tenants of the entrepreneurship building.
The cornerstone of the Delta Centre received a time capsule originating from 1985, which was found during the current construction work from the former School of Economics and Business Administration of UT. The new contents of the capsule will include objects that reflect the current time.
The cornerstone of the Delta Centre received a time capsule originating from 1985. In the picture, you can see what was inside. Photo: Andres Tennus.
The time capsule was placed in the hole for the cornerstone by UT Rector Toomas Asser, Tartu Mayor Urmas Klaas, Head of the UT Computer Science Institute Jaak Vilo, Head of the UT School of Economics and Business Administration Maaja Vadi, AS Ehitusfirma Rand ja Tuulberg Construction Manager and Board Member Priit Vakmann, and AS Ehitustrust Board Chairman Kaido Somelar.
The entire Delta Centre has been projected by architectural bureau Arhitekt11 OÜ architects Illimar Truverk, Sander Aas, Sander Paljak, Kristjan Lind, and Joanna Kordemets. The Delta Learning and Research Building located next to the Emajõgi river and the Freedom Bridge is being built by AS Ehitusfirma Rand ja Tuulberg and AS Ehitustrust. The building’s construction work will cost €28.4 M. The construction is financed partly by the institutional development programme ASTRA, which is aimed at promoting the competitiveness of R&D institutions and higher education institutions.
The results of the construction procurement of the enterprise house to be built on the Narva Highway will become clear in the fall of 2018.
Photo: Andres Tennus.
The following items were put in the time capsule:
- A tube scarf with the titles of doctoral theses defended in the School of Economics and Business Administration from 2000 to 2016 and the titles of bachelor’s and master’s theses from 2014–2016
- The first autonomous soft robot prepared from electro-active polymers (engineering and robotics curriculum)
- Bachelor students of informatics’ (Ludvig Leis, Sten Diamonds, Karl Toomas Vara) multimedia graduation thesis – a video of what UT computer scientists are currently dealing with. Stored on a memory stick card (Institute of Computer Science)
- The authentic copy of the original vision letter by the Head of the Institute of Computer Science Jaak Vilo, prepared on 30 September 2012, talking about what could be the content of the new IT Centre and what could be located there (Institute of Computer Science)
Items that were put in the time capsule. Photo: Andres Tennus.
- In the academic year of 2018/2019 in the Institute for mathematics and Statistics, students’ protected bachelor, master and doctoral theses and the most important articles published in 2018. Stored on a memory stick card (Institute of Mathematics and Statistics)
- Vellavere sports event scarf with the word “Vellavere” and students’ first names (Institute of Mathematics and Statistics)
- A patented “Method of preparing corrosion-resistant coatings” that was issued on 11 May 2018 to the University of Tartu from the Japanese patent office. Inventors: Prof. Väino Sammelselg, Lauri Aarik, Maido Merisalu (Enterprise and Innovation Centre)
- Introductory information publications of the University of Tartu.
- A map of the buildings of the University of Tartu.
- A press release on the cornerstone placement event.
- Delta Centre drawings.
- Certificate of trademark of the Delta Centre of Tartu University.
- The “Postimees” newspaper from 16 August 2018.
- Money (euros) that was in circulation in Estonia on 16 August 2018.
