The Guggenheim Helsinki Museum, public urban-architecture competition for design Guggenheim Museum in Helsinki.

CONTEXT

With its cohesive society and dynamic culture, Finland has the capacity to advance Guggenheim’s mission to promote the understanding and appreciation of art, architecture, and other manifestations of the visual culture of our time. The Guggenheim Helsinki would be a premier location as a gathering place or “town green” for the city and a must-see destination for locals and foreigners alike. Situated on the waterfront, it could function as a welcome center for visitors and a year-round cultural center for locals.

CONCEPT

Imagine you enter the (primordial) form, a sculpture. Like you enter into a pebble, in an iceberg, in a drop of water or some large body, or under the surface of the dunes, the sea, the landscape. The organism, blood and energy of form will be art, exhibitions, curator concepts, concerts … Form as an urban prefix that emphasizes the value and beauty of strict, straight, neat historical structures and ‘facade’ of Helsinki. The relationship between the valuable traditional urban structure according to a new different form is sensitive. Fluidity adjusts with its softness to space and is not aggressive towards history, regardless of their differences, it anticipates the present and the future. Fluidity corresponds with the elusiveness and liveliness of the spirit of art, creation, city and time. Guggenheim Helsinki should be globally recognized as an original and friendly landmark!

The main exhibition space is designed as a large spacious totally free surface – volume for all types of art. Construction of the museum is conceived from glulam beams in two directions who form a solid supporting mesh in whose field is located all necessary installation techniques.

Using specially designed ‘bottles’ daylight will diffuse sprayed into the interior, with no cost – on the principle of global open source movement ‘liter of light’ – with the aim to provide an ecologically sustainable and free-of-cost source of interior light. The roof surface is planned to collect rainwater for use. The outer membrane is made of white aluminum plates that form the fine form of the museum.

Experience and access from the sea will leave the dynamic image of the city that from every position looks different.

CURIOSITIES

People between art or between people. Guggenheim Helsinki is seen as a fluid sign of the city that draws people into a new experience… In addition to the exhibition, innovative work could be achieved through diverse activities such as interactive large touchscreen wall – a global art stock market and auction of art for everyone, (virtual) presentation open to all artists; comparisons of art, a global forum of art; live stream with other museums, exhibitions and art sales to (worldwide young) artists; visual and auditory expression of children on meaningful workshops, etc.