Palimpsest /ˈpalɪm(p)sɛst/ originally referred to an early form of recycling in which an old document was erased to make room for a new one when parchment ran short. More broadly, it can be understood as something usually with diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface.
In the context of Paljassaare, this metaphor applies to the various layers of its landscape – the ecological, industrial, military and speculative – that have accumulated over time. The peninsula’s transformation from a natural coastal area to a site of military use, industrial development, and more recently, a speculative real estate, reflects an ongoing rewriting of its landscape. The traces of each phase remain visible, creating a landscape rich with overlapping histories and meanings.
Currently, Paljassaare finds itself in an intermediate state, in between the tension of an unforgettable past and utopian transformations. Seemingly undefined spaces are not merely vacant lands awaiting development; instead, they embody a complexity that needs time and careful inspection to understand. How can we sense and experience the in-betweenness of “wasted” and “valued” in this specific context?
During our on-site walking tour on November 18th, we presented what we had found between Paljassaare's wasted and valued layers: a prop house and recycling yard, a mysterious little church on a recycling plant, abandoned train tracks and workshops.