G - Shaped Museum
Guggenheim Museum Helsinki
Helsink, Gulf of Finland, Finland
2007
CLIENT
MUNICIPALITY
TYPOLOGY
EDUCATION - PUBLIC SPACE
SIZE MQ / FT2
24.000 - 258,000
STATUS
SUBMITTED PROPOSAL
SHARE
The Concept for the Helsinki Guggenheim Museum departs from the idea of the traditional museum courtyard type.
By rotating the typological court 90 degrees , the Guggenheim acts as a Framing Device which integrates Helsinki Skyline within the Form of the Building. Its aim is to connect with the physical landscape and operate as a testing ground for artists, architects and designers, as it provides unique opportunities to create overlapping installations against the surrounding architecture.
The Museum is thus present on the Bay front as both an memorable shaped architecture as well as a porous interface, allowing views to and through from all points surrounding it.
G- SHAPED = OPEN AND CLOSED TERRACES
By adding a third supporting bay to the Inverted Courtyard, the building achieves both a covered deck as well as an open-air terrace. This promotes the greatest possible number of events and public activities.
Especially focused on the mission to provide a venue for Nordic Design and Architecture, the open-air courtyard is meant to allow for a showing stage that will expose
installations to the local weather.
The covered stage will be used by those shows which require some protection
from rain and snow such as concerts, sculptures and outdoor theatre. The
Building can be seen from across the bay as a symbolic flipped “G”, both
symbolic for its Institution and Iconic for the city of Helsinki.
MUM SPACE = MAXIMUM LIGHT
URBAN INTEGRATION = ICONIC FRAMING
Taking into special consideration the importance ofthe Park views,the building shape and angled surfaces are further defined by the alignment with the Main and Usbenski Cathedrals so that their view is both perceived and framed via the Guggenheim vertical courtyards from the elevated view ofthe park.