In total, more than 50 sites from all over Europe were included in the Europan 17 architecture competition – Finland's sites are located in Helsinki and Vaasa. The Helsinki site included five islands – Kotiluoto, Malkasaari, Pikku Niinisaari, Vartiosaari and Villinki. Site proposals for Finland were judged by a national jury.
Germany’s Opposite Office agency’s proposal, Hugs for Nature, by architects Benedikt Hartl and Maximilian Löschke was selected by the jury as the winner of the Helsinki competition. The jury considered winning proposal to stand out from traditional island architecture and to respect nature. Its structures are minimalist and distinctive in appearance, and offer a balanced framework for the coexistence of people and the environment moving around the archipelago.
“The entries had many thought-provoking, unique ideas and inspiring approaches to what it could be like to hike on the islands. The best competition proposals understood and respected the nature of the Helsinki archipelago, and had achieved much with relatively small but carefully planned changes”, says Sofia Kangas, landscape architect for the Helsinki Urban Environment Division.
The proposal of the Finnish-Dutch group, Haven, reached the second place in the competition. The jury considered the proposal by architect Saara Kantele and artist Paul Bot to have a strong holistic concept, in which the nature of the islands and various user groups had been carefully analysed.
Looking for a concept that takes sensitive nature into account
The biennial Europan competition is aimed at architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning professionals under the age of 40 across Europe. This year's Europan 17 competition sought solutions that can support the renewal and use of the built environment in a sustainable and resource-wise way.
In Helsinki, the task was to develop a recognizable, balanced and sustainable concept for landing sites at the islands, which takes into account the islands' cultural-historical values and diverse nature.
“The entered works had found solutions to improve the services and accessibility of the islands, without, however, taking away attention from the attraction factors of the islands – their unique nature and history. I look forward to developing these ideas together with the winners”, says Sofia Kannas in her thanks for the entrants.
The award ceremony was held at the Urban Environment Division house on 4 December 2023, and the awarded works will be displayed in the building's lobby at the beginning of 2024.
The concept of the landing site can be applied to all five sites in Helsinki. The City of Helsinki aims to continue developing the idea towards implementation together with the winners of the competition and to pilot the winning proposal on one or more islands.
