State Architect Arjus: Estonia has become an overly controlling society

Estonia's first state architect Ülar Arjus marked his first anniversary in office. Arjus emphasized that the most important change has been active management of state land, with the aim of reducing planning bureaucracy. He believes society should trust more rather than exercise excessive control.

Estonia's first state architect Ülar Arjus marked his first anniversary in office on 9 June. In an interview given in a television studio, he highlighted that over the past year, his most significant achievement has been more active and deliberate management of state land.

According to Arjus, Estonia has become an overly controlling society, and bureaucracy related to planning is wearing down both citizens and developers. He emphasized that in the future, with public involvement, there is a desire to reduce bureaucracy and move from control towards trust.

The office of state architect was created in Estonia for the first time precisely to ensure greater coherence in state spatial decisions and long-term vision. Arjus is the first to fill this role, and his work encompasses both public space design and broader development policy issues.