The international open design competition for the New Museum of Architecture and Design in Helsinki attracted 623 entries from around the world.
An online gallery of the submission opened on 12 September.(Link leads to external service)
“The architecture competition for the new Museum of Architecture and Design will introduce a new landmark to the cityscape of Helsinki in a hugely significant site on the waterfront of the city’s South Harbour. This is a project that will strengthen the appeal and ambition of the city of Helsinki as a design and architecture destination, and we are overwhelmed by the quality of the responses to the competition.” says Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki.
"Our new Museum of Architecture and Design is landmark project that celebrates Finland's rich legacy in design and architecture. This competition is an important step in creating a space that honours our strong cultural heritage in design and architecture, which is treasured by our people and admired worldwide. The Finnish government is deeply committed to supporting this project, recognising its significance in inspiring future generations." says Sari Multala, Finland’s Minister of Science and Culture.
The open call for entries ran from 15 April to 29 August 2024 and asked for conceptual proposals for a new museum building on a prominent and historic site on Helsinki’s South Harbour. All entries were submitted anonymously and will now be assessed by an international jury of leading architects, cultural experts and policymakers before a selection of 2–5 finalists is invited to progress to Stage 2 of the competition in December 2024. The final result of the competition will be announced in September 2025.
The new museum is planned to open in 2030.
The central mission of the new museum will be “democratising the tools of design”, drawing on the history and present of Finnish and Nordic architecture and design to guide a programme of public activities that will look at how design thinking and skills are relevant to the challenges we face as individuals and societies in a rapidly changing world.
"The competition brief for Finland's new National Museum of Architecture and Design is an ambitious vision that embraces the museum's civic role in democratizing access to the tools of design. We seek an architecturally unique building that meets high sustainability goals while being a welcoming and inspiring space—an active hub of engagement and creativity for many, and a place of calm and reflection for others. The jury has been deeply impressed by the thoughtful and innovative interpretations from architects and creative teams on how the new museum can best serve our communities.” said Kaarina Gould, CEO of the Finnish Architecture and Design Museum Foundation and member of the jury.
Read more about the new museum and the design competition on the museum's website(Link leads to external service).
