Golden Waves Museum Entry for Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition by LPzR architetti associati. The skyline of the Guggenheim Helsinki Museum emerges as a sequence of soft golden waves undulating in the harbor.
To the north the volumes are low, to avoid shading the public realm; then they rise rapidly and decrease in the center of the building; towards the park the waves rise again and fall to the south, where they find a perfect balance with the harbor’s public realm.
Golden Waves Museum proposal is based on the key concept of connection: a fluid landscape design combines the waterfront and the city center through the new museum, while the promenade becomes a covered passage between the harbor and the urban fabric.
The sculptural, organic shapes are designed to provide a new and clear landmark in the harbor; at the same time, they link up with the urban context and seamlessly connect the exhibition spaces and the waterfront, according to concepts of openness and accessibility.
The interiors are characterized by complex curved geometries which are enhanced by the use of Finnish wood, giving it a unique expressive emphasis.
Construction and environmental sustainability is achieved through a careful use of materials, considered in their whole lifecycle but, above all, it is inherent in the morphology of the building itself: the inner promenade is a flexible space, a buffer zone open to passively create environmental comfort for visitors and workers all over the year.
There are essential benefits from the range of temperatures at different heights (levels). Thanks to the atrium “stack effect”, the temperature is hotter on the height floors where permanent activities are settled.
The Golden Waves Museum design aims also at digital technology integration; the atrium, owing to its particular function and location, is the key point for digital art and performance.
The Waves Museum project for the new Guggenheim offers a strong and fluid design: it is a new land mark for Helsinki and a suitable museum for an international audience as well as local public.
