GH-7128234610
Place Contemplation and connection are our core concepts for the Guggenheim Museum. Our proposal creates perfect volumes for the quiet contemplation of art whilst connecting spaces frame dramatic views, celebrating significant Helsinki landmarks. Each individual can be simultaneously connected to art and the city, its seasons, topography and spirit during one visit.
Helsinki’s first great public space for ferry visitors
Seamless connections to the city and its urban topography
Fragmented Ice Sheets
Our proposal takes a traditional Helsinki City block and orientates it to the harbour. It is then fractured into six volumes, each crack or crevasse, reminiscent of the ice sheets that fill the harbour in winter, frame views to a city landmark: Helsinki Cathedral, Uspensky Cathedral spire, Valkosaari Island, Tähtitornin vuori park and Saksalainen kirkko – adding each of these to the Guggenheim collection as art.
Rotate traditional city block
Fractured into 6 volumes
Connected by a dramatic central volume
Helsinki city views framed as art
Helsinki Cathedral Uspenski Cathedral
Valkosaari Island
The German Church
Tähtitornin vuori Park Observation Platform
An iconic gateway for the port of Helsinki
GH-7128234610
Compression
Materiality plays a big role in the museum, externally the building is clad in horizontally banded natural white stone to evoke the packed striations of glacial ice and as reference to Alvar Aalto’s significant works. These massive blocks are contrasted internally by the use of vertical scorched timber cladding, evoking the smells and textures of the forest.
An iconic gateway for the Port of Helsinki, the Museum will be connected seamlessly to the city centre, harbour and historic docks. The wharf edge of Eteläsatama Harbour will be opened up to allow unrestricted public access. The Guggenheim Helsinki will become a civic monument and a significant visitor attraction of worldwide renown. It will become a place for connection and contemplation as much as for education and preservation, and it will be a meeting place for locals and visitors to enjoy.
Individual
Art
Helsinki
Quiet contemplation and city connections
We believe that the close contemplation of art coupled with the visual connection to the city will create a unique dynamic for the Museum; world class galleries rooted to its Finnish context.
Bringing the city into the museum
Beautifully framed views of the Helsinki landmarks
Plant
Fine Dining
Gallery
Curatorial Office
Multi Function Space
Gallery
Museum and Design Store
Cafe/Bar
Dramatic crevasses between the galleries and central atrium
GH-7128234610
Dynamism Visitors will move through the dramatic voids between each gallery, like water flowing between giant blocks of ice. The museum is centred by a dramatic central volume which includes all circulation, and a dynamic inverted atrium inspired by Brinicles, or hollow ice stalactites, which bring the frozen surface of the sea to the seabed. Here we have reimagined this unique Arctic phenomena to bring the outside deep into the heart of the museum, and create an unexpected centre to the museum.
The environment of Finland at the heart of the museum. The Brinicle floods the central volume with diffuse natural daylight. Rain and snow is drawn into the heart of the building and is recycled for reuse.
An elegant sculptural centrepiece to orientate visitors. The dynamic form of the Brinicle has an ever changing relationship to visitors as they spiral down the circulation ramps.
Galleries can be experienced as a continuous, linear route to view the entire Guggenheim collection, or separately to focus on individual exhibitions.
The Brinicle
Plant
Vibrant New Guggenheim Public Square and Sculpture Park
WC
WC
WC
WC
Plant
Gallery Gallery WC
WC
Classroom Performance Hall
The Museum is a perfect balance between ordered galleries and dynamic circulation
Lobby
Art Storage
Art Loading Dock
Contemplation Level 0 +3.1 Site Plan
Service Vehicle Lay-by and Control Point Cycle Parking
Shared Pavement for Controlled Service Vehicle Access
Vibrant New Guggenheim Public Square and Sculpture Park
Level 1 +8.0 / +10.0 Floor Plan
Museum Entrance
te
Tickets
ub lic Ro u
elt ere dP
+3.1m
Foyer
+8.0m
Visitor Entrance
48 %
24°C 42 %
Independent galleries 23°C
allow for tailored
48 %
environmental control to suit each individual curation
Level 2 +12.0 / 14.0 Floor Plan
Level 3 +18.0 / +20.0 Floor Plan
Store
Translation Room Control
Gallery
Gallery
+8.0m
Performance Hall Below
Sculpture Terrace
Gallery Below
Gallery Below
+12.0m
+20.0m
15m Wide Waterfront Promenade
Cloak Room
+3.1m
Foyer
Sh
Plant
23°C
58 %
Technician Office
Room
Performance Hall
+3.1m
Green Room and Dressing Rooms
Multi Function Classroom
Store
New Tree-lined Boulevard
20°C
Flexibility is at the heart of the galleries. We have designed large, column-free spaces which can operate as part of a contiguous, linear circulation route; and as separate galleries. Performance, multifunction and education spaces are readily accessible from within the galleries, but also have immediate links to the public realm at ground level to enable independent operation. Each gallery is capable of supporting any medium of contemporary art including installation, media, video, music and performance. We have proposed staggered floor levels to provide a rare opportunity to view gallery spaces from various heights and engage with the artwork from multiple viewpoints. A screened rooftop space creates a sculpture terrace and offers stunning panoramic views of Helsinki and Eteläsatama Harbour.
+8.0m
Ne w
Performance Hall Entrance
Viewing Platform +8.0m
Store Store +3.1m
+8.0m
+20.0m
+12.0m
WC +3.1m
WC
Demountable Facade for Sculpture Access
Level Access to Tähtitornin Vuori Park
Museum and Design Store
+3.1m
+20.0m
Curatorial Office
Multi Purpose Space
Cafe/Bar
Gallery +8.0m
+8.0m
Gallery
Fine Dining
Gallery Below
+12.0m
+3.1m
+20.0m
Admin Office
Store
+14.0m
Office
+3.1m
+14.0m
Garbage Storage
Crate Storage
Store
Shipping/ Receiving
+10.0m
Store Kitchen
Lobby
Uncrating
Widened Pedestrian Access to Olympia Ferry Terminal
Sculpture Terrace
Marketing Office
+3.1m
WC
Office
Art Storage
Plant
+3.1m
Art Loading Dock
General Loading Dock
+2.0m
+2.0m
Dock Managers Office
WC
Security Office
Plant
WC
Viewing Platform
Education Office
+18.0m
Conference Room
WC
Plant
Conservation Studio
Flexible, controlled galleries inflected by indirect daylight
WC
A great public space at the harbour’s edge
Plant
Staff Offices Maintenance Equipment
Kitchen +20.0m
WC
Custodial Office
Furniture Store
Gallery
Gallery
+10.0m
Tech Office
Staff Lounge
0
Staff Parking
Gallery Below
+10.0m
Lockers
Deliveries
Service Access to Olympia Ferry terminal
+14.0m
5
20
50
Gallery Below
Plant +18.0m
Plant +18.0m