Museum of Architecture and Design Helsinki, Finland
International Competition
Team: Lorenzo Castro, Juan Felipe Gómez, Salomón Hernandez, Ezequiel Leibovich, Laura Prada & Christina Sewerin.
The proposal for the new museum originates from the encounter between the powerful geography of the site and the rich heritage present in the city – the two main aspects we seek to celebrate with the project. The building embraces contemporary, open architecture for the public, allowing its participation and enjoyment, and looking forward to creating a flexible, playful place that can adapt over time.
Located within the characteristic mountainous foothills of Sutatausa, the proposal emerges as an architectural extension conceived as a graft—one that does not replace what exists, but rather establishes a thoughtful dialogue between the existing structure and the new intervention, respecting and harnessing the site’s natural attributes to create a warm, functional, and naturally illuminated workspace.
Museum of Architecture and Design
Helsinki, Finland
International Competition
Team: Lorenzo Castro, Juan Felipe Gómez,
Salomón Hernandez, Ezequiel Leibovich,
Laura Prada & Christina Sewerin.
The proposal for the new museum originates from the encounter between the powerful geography of the site and the rich heritage present in the city – the two main aspects we seek to celebrate with the project. The building embraces contemporary, open architecture for the public, allowing its participation and enjoyment, and looking forward to creating a flexible, playful place that can adapt over time.
Emerging from the floor as a solid base, the museum arises from the ground alluding to geography and fortress architecture inspired by Suomenlinna. It conforms a platform which allows interior activities to take place from the inside out, with a series of perforations that mark the access points. Two grand stairways allow for a direct connection with the public squares on both ends of the building with its interior. Similarly, the north front builds up as a terraced staircase that invites visitors to and from the bay and maritime promenade.
Emerging from the floor as a solid base, the museum arises from the ground alluding to geography and fortress architecture inspired by Suomenlinna. It conforms a platform which allows interior activities to take place from the inside out, with a series of perforations that mark the access points. Two grand stairways allow for a direct connection with the public squares on both ends of the building with its interior. Similarly, the north front builds up as a terraced staircase that invites visitors to and from the bay and maritime promenade.
Contained between curved panes of glass, visitors come together to observe and participate in all the activities that take place in the patio. The open access with urban character establishes relationships with the different public spaces of the project. A ribbon of circulation provides access to outdoor terraces and allows for a playful connection between the interior and exterior, and a grand staircase leads visitors to the exhibition rooms upstairs.
The access to the galleries frames the distant image of Uspenski Cathedral. While the visitors walk through this exhibition space, the interstice between the solid walls start to frame Helsinki Cathedral and Tähtitorninvuori. Exhibition rooms contain varied spatial conditions, and an independent connection to the top floor, where the events spaces are located. A panoramic terrace concludes the public circulation around the building, where views of several churches and buildings with copper roofs can be recognized in the city of Helsinki.
The materiality contributes to the building’s identity: the façade, and its changing character over time, enhances the presence and beauty of the building. Copper (100% recyclable) dignify es the buildings with the presence of the oxidized coatings which, overtime, acquire a very characteristic green color. The strong presence of the building dialogues with its urban scale; it gazes out delicately in the bay, without interrupting the view of the sea.
Contained between curved panes of glass, visitors come together to observe and participate in all the activities that take place in the patio. The open access with urban character establishes relationships with the different public spaces of the project. A ribbon of circulation provides access to outdoor terraces and allows for a playful connection between the interior and exterior, and a grand staircase leads visitors to the exhibition rooms upstairs.
The access to the galleries frames the distant image of Uspenski Cathedral. While the visitors walk through this exhibition space, the interstice between the solid walls start to frame Helsinki Cathedral and Tähtitorninvuori. Exhibition rooms contain varied spatial conditions, and an independent connection to the top floor, where the events spaces are located. A panoramic terrace concludes the public circulation around the building, where views of several churches and buildings with copper roofs can be recognized in the city of Helsinki.
The materiality contributes to the building’s identity: the façade, and its changing character over time, enhances the presence and beauty of the building. Copper (100% recyclable) dignify es the buildings with the presence of the oxidized coatings which, overtime, acquire a very characteristic green color. The strong presence of the building dialogues with its urban scale; it gazes out delicately in the bay, without interrupting the view of the sea.
