The building at Sakala 1 was originally constructed for the Officer’s Club on the corner of what was then Väike-Pärnu Road and Kaupmehe Street, where previously wooden one- and two-story houses had stood.
The land was acquired by the Ministry of War in 1936 for 172,000 kroons. The building was planned to house the Officer’s Club, a casino, the War Museum, and include a banquet hall as well as the official residences of the Minister of War and the Commander-in-Chief.
Construction began in the spring of 1939 based on a design by architect Edgar Johan Kuusik. It is the only building from Kuusik's "powerful eclectic" group that was actually completed. Two other buildings by Kuusik, the new town hall and art museum, were never built.
After the 1940 coup, the government of Johannes Vares-Barbarus diverted funds raised for the construction of the Freedom Monument to complete this building. The building was finally finished in 1947, with changes made by the architect, and was renamed the Working People’s Culture House. The rich decor was altered to reflect Soviet symbolism, replacing military emblems with Soviet symbols on the roof.
During the Soviet era, the building primarily housed the Political Education House (also known as the old Sakala Center) and temporarily hosted other institutions.
After the restoration of independence, various companies rented spaces in the building, including one of the small banks, Estexpank. The vaults were later used to store classified documents.
In 1990, part of the building was temporarily leased to the Old Town Studio, and in 2004 it became the home of the NO99 Theatre.
The building was declared a cultural monument in 1997 by the Minister of Culture and was included in the cultural heritage registry.
Last updated: 12.03.2026
