Štromka: stories and its layers

The tour demonstrates how different stakeholders and layers — residents, infrastructure, policies, and stories — are interconnected and shape a neighbourhood that, in the 1990s, had a particularly bad reputation (“Копли не предлагать!” – “Don’t offer me Kopli!”). We discuss why Štromka can be considered an “intuitive neighbourhood” without official boundaries, and how this contributes to creating a unique community.

From new developments and transport projects to everyday life in the community, the tour shows how various factors are interconnected — similar to processes taking place in other cities worldwide, such as green gentrification and the housing crisis. Using Štromka as an example, we reflect on why it is important to preserve and protect such informal neighbourhoods.

Karina Vabson is a doctoral student in urban studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts, researching how knowledge, power relations, and epistemic justice (whether people’s experiences and opinions are equally considered) influence the creation of urban spaces. She also works as a practicing anthropologist at the Centre for Anthropology, participating in projects that examine social issues.