Saving the Soviet aesthetic from the scrap bin (opens in new tab)

When Canadian philosopher Aaron James Wendland moved to Tallinn, he hoped to find a home that felt distinctly Estonian; instead, he found IKEA-fied interiors, discarded Soviet furniture and a heated debate about whether beauty can be separated from political pain. As a Canadian, I have the option of living in approximately 1.3 million modern apartments in my hometown, Toronto. So, when I moved to Tallinn in January to be closer to family, I hoped to find a unique form of Estonian housing. Or ...