Redevelopment of South Harbor: Guggenheim of Helsinki | Carla Abarca

The project derives from an International Competition organized by the Guggenheim Foundation and the City of Helsinki for a New Museum of Contemporary Art Guggenheim. The project is located in Helsinki’s South Harbor which is in the process of being transformed from an industrial and traffic junction into a new cultural and social hub of the city thanks to the presence of the Guggenheim Museum. The fundamental character of the competition is the importance of the Finnish context and the inclusion of a Cultural building that reflects the respect for the Finnish nature.

The New Guggenheim Museum seeks to promote three characteristic Finnish elements: the traditional urban context – represented by the historical center - , the natural context - reflected on the forests and sea -, also the art and culture - symbolized by the architecture -. These three elements have determined the typology, the orientation and the functions of the building.

The project seeks to extend an existing adjacent park to the shores of the Baltic Sea, incorporating innovative solutions for accessibility and programmatic flexibility, inviting visitors to explore the galleries and spaces of the Museum. The goal is to give the opportunity to learn, to think, and to experiment the different artistic phenomena. According to Frank Lloyd Wright “The Mother Art is Architecture”, is in fact the Nature the great architect and its celebration is one of the main goals of this project. The idea behind the Guggenheim Museum is to connect the city with the sea shore, creating a green path that can integrate and enhance the natural and urban environment in Helsinki’s South Harbor. The intent is to link Finnish Nature, art, and tradition into the Guggenheim Museum. In fact the image that this museum takes to the outside is inspired by the Finnish forest, rich in coniferous. So this project was carried out with respect for the finnish culture and nature.