While We Wait: Towards Making Waiting for Public Transport Restful in Ülemiste City, Tallinn

Author:
Kumaraaditya Praveen Rao
Supervisor:
Quinn Darby Feller, Viktor Bedo
University:
EKA

Waiting for public transport is something most city residents do every day, yet the spaces where we wait are rarely designed with care. This thesis explores how public transport stops in Ülemiste City, Tallinn, can be transformed into spaces of everyday rest. Through surveys, ethnographic observations, a co-ideation workshop, and real-world testing, the project uncovers what passengers actually need while they wait — and translates those needs into a practical design framework. The framework includes six design principles, five tested interventions (individual seating, evergreen plants, walking lines, digital displays, and birdsong), specific guidance for each stop type, and a participatory design toolkit so future updates can be grounded in the same community-centred process.

Link to full thesis