Winner of the Prefab House of the Year 2025 competition in the category “Best Small Building”: Greentec Houses OÜ commercial building in Tallinn. Architect: Indrek Niitla. Photo: Greentec Houses
References

Modular Self-Service Convenience Store in Noblessner

An innovative and smart solution by Greentec Houses OÜ – the RIMI self-service, unstaffed convenience store is a contemporary commercial building based on a compact modular unit. It follows RIMI’s well-known brand design language and integrates seamlessly into the modern urban environment. The small-scale building is located in the rapidly developing and highly valued Noblessner district of Tallinn, ensuring convenient access to essential goods for local residents.

Private house
Modular houses
Small constructions

The modular store offers a practical solution in an area where the living environment is developing rapidly, yet the construction of a large grocery store is not planned. The small self-service shop provides 24/7 contactless access to essential goods, without queues or staff, making everyday shopping simple and convenient for both local residents and visitors.

The building is realised as a custom-sized modular unit based on timber construction, measuring 4.5 metres in width and 8 metres in length. This sets it apart from standard market solutions and was designed from an early stage to account for the additional loads of equipment and goods, ensuring both structural durability and functional efficiency.

Most of the technical systems were completed at the factory. The module was equipped with energy-efficient, programmable and remotely controlled cooling systems, smart locking solutions, lighting, and other essential technologies required for operation. On site, the building only needed to be connected to the power grid and fitted with validation and security systems. The safety of both customers and the unstaffed store is ensured by modern 24/7 surveillance systems and intelligent access and transaction control.

A key advantage of the modular solution is its flexibility and relocatability – if needed, the store can be easily expanded or moved to a new location without major costs or interruptions to service. This makes it particularly well suited to rapidly changing urban environments.

The speed of construction is especially noteworthy: the building, including its lightweight foundation, was erected in just one day. The high level of factory readiness significantly reduced on-site work and minimised environmental impact, clearly demonstrating the efficiency and quality of industrial modular construction.

The project is a strong example of how factory-built construction, smart technologies and thoughtful architectural design can come together to create user-friendly, sustainable and future-proof solutions for contemporary urban spaces.

Location
Estonia, Tallinn
Information
Year:
2024
Architecture:
Indrek Niitla
Engineering:
Karel Koitla
Type:
puitkarkass moodulmaja
Net area:
32.5 m2
Awards
Prefab House of the Year 2025 - Best Small Construction