Repurposing former buildings blends the past and the present into a rich architectural structure. Renovating old, abandoned or unused buildings is something we discussed at length in our profile on Amsterdam's De School. Not only does it breathe new life into somewhere, but the history of the building contributes a narrative which no new architecture can compete with.

Paris-based DGT Architects have taken a former soviet military base in Tartu, Estonia, and converted it into a spectacular national museum. The architecture firm discarded the original location proposed in the brief and instead opted for a 34,000 sqm disused hangar nearby, utilising its rich heritage.

The refurbishment purposely considered the building's legacy, maintaining the overall structure with the addition of contemporary touches. The front roof lifts and opens outwards onto a sprawling vista of the surrounding countryside, which contrasts and complements the brutal concrete structure.

The museum is set to house over 140,000 objects with the aim to create "a place of gathering and interaction, bringing people together to celebrate a rich and deep-rooted history." Honouring the past through a renovation of its buildings allows a new perspective on the future to flourish.