Paneelmajades

Paneelmajades, or panel houses, are multi-storey residential buildings constructed from prefabricated concrete panels. Invented in the mid-20th century, they were widely used in the Soviet Union and other socialist countries to provide rapid, affordable housing. In Estonia they became a dominant form of mass housing from the 1960s to the 1980s. The most common construction approach used precast concrete walls and floor slabs assembled on site, with exterior cladding of plaster or brick and later retrofits for insulation and energy efficiency.

Interiors featured standardized apartment layouts with limited variation; many blocks have 9 to 12 stories, though some variants reach higher. The design favored efficiency and high-density housing over architectural individuality.

In Estonia, districts such as Lasnamäe (Tallinn) and Mustamäe were developed largely with paneelmajades, shaping the post-war urban landscape and demographics. They provided housing for a growing urban population but faced criticism for uniform appearance and limitations in thermal performance, noise, and daylight.

Since the 1990s, many paneelmajades have undergone renovations, including improved insulation, windows replacement, and facade renovations, sometimes funded by state or municipal programs to improve energy efficiency and comfort. Some blocks have been demolished in urban renewal projects, while others remain in use as affordable housing.