Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition
© LPzR architetti associati, Principioattivo architecture group

Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition

LPzR architetti associati as Architects

The skyline of the Guggenheim Helsinki Museum emerges as a sequence of soft golden waves undulating in the harbor.


To the north the volumes are low, to avoid shading the public realm and not to overlook the Palace Hotel; then they rise rapidly and decrease in the center of the building; towards the park the waves rise again and fall to the south, where they find a perfect balance with the harbor’s public realm. There’s a central slope between north and south so that the volume does not interfere with the main views from the park Tähtitornin Vuori, the Helsinki Cathedral and the Uspenski Cathedral.


The sculptural, organic shapes are designed to provide a new and clear landmark in the harbor; at the same time, they link up with the urban context and seamlessly connect the exhibition spaces and the waterfront, according to concepts of openness and accessibility.


The project proposal is based on the key concept of connection: a fluid landscape design combines the waterfront and the city center through the new museum, while the promenade becomes a covered passage between the harbor and the urban fabric.


The main entrance is in the north part of the area, where an organically shaped square welcomes the visitors. The tour flows naturally through an artistic promenade that crosses the whole building. The promenade is an urban place where one can have a sneak peek of the latest exhibition or just an excuse to walk under the voluptuous vaults. The promenade is a covered space warm in winter and pleasantly fresh in summer: it is an ideal place where one can stop for a break and spend some quality time. It is always open and independently of the exhibition space, it connects a bar with a multi-purpose zone and performance halls. It is place for all seasons, continuously changing.


Entrances, distribution and paths provide maximum flexibility of use: the inner spaces can be divided or combined according to different requirements, in order to allow facility operations in all seasons and over the full day.


The interiors are characterized by complex curved geometries which are enhanced by the use of Finnish wood, giving it a unique expressive emphasis.


Construction and environmental sustainability is achieved through a careful use of materials, considered in their whole lifecycle but, above all, it is inherent in the morphology of the building itself: the inner promenade is a flexible space, a buffer zone open to passively create environmental comfort for visitors and workers all over the year. There are essential benefits from the range of temperatures at different heights (levels). Thanks to the atrium “stack effect”, the temperature is hotter on the height floors where permanent activities are settled.


The design aims also at digital technology integration; the atrium, owing to its particular function and location, is the key point for digital art and performance.


The project for the new Guggenheim offers a strong and fluid design: it is a new landmark for Helsinki and a suitable museum for an international audience as well as local public.

Products Behind Projects
Product Spotlight
News
Norman Foster Foundation launches global competition to revitalize Kharkiv’s iconic Freedom Square
4 Oct 2024 News
Norman Foster Foundation launches global competition to revitalize Kharkiv’s iconic Freedom Square

As Kharkiv continues to recover from the effects of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Norman Fost... More

Daisuke Yamashita Architects designs unconventional house with “impromptu appearance” in Tokyo
3 Oct 2024 News
Daisuke Yamashita Architects designs unconventional house with “impromptu appearance” in Tokyo

Tokyo-based Daisuke Yamashita Architects has designed a home for a couple and their two children in... More

Archello houses of the month - September 2024
3 Oct 2024 News
Archello houses of the month - September 2024

Archello has selected its houses of the month for September 2024. This list showcases 20 of the... More

Eden Dock offers green oasis in heart of London’s Canary Wharf
2 Oct 2024 News
Eden Dock offers buoyant green oasis in heart of London’s Canary Wharf

A green oasis has been unveiled in the heart of London’s Canary Wharf: Eden Dock is a buoyant... More

Design for Weald House in English countryside reimagines agricultural barn vernacular
1 Oct 2024 News
Design for Weald House in English countryside reimagines agricultural barn vernacular

English architectural studios Mailen Design and Peter Bradford Architects worked in collaboration on... More

Swiss school expansion by LOCALARCHITECTURE features a flexible wooden framework and earth brick walls
1 Oct 2024 News
Swiss school expansion by LOCALARCHITECTURE features a flexible wooden framework and earth brick walls

Lausanne-based LOCALARCHITECTURE has designed a new building for the Rudolf Steiner School c... More

MVRDV and Buro Harro complete lush Buitenplaats Koningsweg master plan on former WWII military base
30 Sep 2024 News
MVRDV and Buro Harro complete lush Buitenplaats Koningsweg master plan on former WWII military base

On the outskirts of Arnhem in the eastern Netherlands, a surprising new master plan has come to frui... More

Centre Culturel Nelson Mandela by Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte fluidly integrates with its historic urban context
30 Sep 2024 News
Centre Culturel Nelson Mandela by Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte fluidly integrates with its historic urban context

In Pantin, France, the Nelson Mandela cultural space by Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte is located in th... More