The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation launched an open, international competition for the design of a proposed Guggenheim museum in Helsinki. This is the first time that the Guggenheim Foundation has sought a design through an open competition. The keenly anticipated two-stage competition is expected to draw submissions from a wide range of firms and individuals—emerging and internationally famous—from around the world.
“It is essential to the Guggenheim’s mission to engage directly with people throughout the world, to affirm the transformative potential of art, and to fuse the experience of contemporary art with great architecture,” stated Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, at the formal competition launch event in Helsinki on June 4. “This competition advances all of those goals, with the aim of inspiring an exemplary museum of the 21st century that is also a meaningful addition to the landscape of Helsinki.”
The Guggenheim is organizing the architectural competition in consultation with the City of Helsinki, the State of Finland, and the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA). The competition is managed by the London-based firm Malcolm Reading Consultants, a specialist in architectural competitions for arts, heritage, and nonprofit organizations.
An eleven-member jury selected by the Guggenheim, the State of Finland, the City of Helsinki, and SAFA will review the submissions. The jury is chaired by Mark Wigley, professor and Dean of the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation of Columbia University, and includes:
- Mikko Aho, Director of City Planning and architect, City of Helsinki
- Jeanne Gang, Founder and Principal, Studio Gang Architects
- Juan Herreros, Professor and Founder, Estudio Herreros
- Anssi Lassila, Architect, Founder, OOPEAA Office for Peripheral Architecture
- Erkki Leppävuori, President and CEO, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
- Rainer Mahlamäki, Professor and Founder, Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects
- Helena Säteri, Director General, Ministry of the Environment, Finland
- Nancy Spector, Deputy Director and Jennifer and David Stockman Chief Curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation
- Yoshiharu Tsukamoto, Founder, Atelier Bow-Wow
- Ritva Viljanen, Deputy Mayor, City of Helsinki
Note: Guggenheim Director Richard Armstrong will attend the jury’s deliberations in an honorary, non-voting capacity.
Anonymous submissions for Stage One of the competition are due September 10, 2014. The jury will meet in Helsinki and select six finalists from the submissions made during Stage One. Submissions will be judged on the basis of their architectural design, relationship to the site and the cityscape, practicality for users, sustainability (including criteria for the use of materials), and feasibility. An online exhibition will enable the public to view all entries in the first stage, with special prominence given to the 30 highest-rated submissions.
In November 2014, the Guggenheim will announce the finalists and Stage Two of the competition will begin. Shortlisted firms or individuals will have until March 2015 to make final submissions, and the winner will be announced in June 2015. The City of Helsinki and the State of Finland are expected to deliberate on whether to proceed with the construction and development of the museum after the competition concludes.
For further information, the public and interested architects are invited to visit the competition website.
Related Stories
| Oct 4, 2013
Nifty video shows planned development of La Sagrada Familia basilica
After 144 years, construction on Gaudi's iconic Barcelona edifice is picking up speed, with a projected end date of 2026.
| Oct 4, 2013
Mack Urban, AECOM acquire six acres for development in LA's South Park district
Mack Urban and AECOM Capital, the investment fund of AECOM Technology Corporation (NYSE: ACM), have acquired six acres of land in downtown Los Angeles’ South Park district located in the central business district (CBD).
| Oct 4, 2013
CRB opens Atlanta office
Georgia’s status as a burgeoning hub for the life sciences industry has fueled CRB’s decision to open an office in Atlanta to better serve its clients in the market. CRB is a leading provider of engineering, design and construction services for customers in the biotech, pharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
| Sep 27, 2013
NYC releases first year-to-year energy performance data on commercial properties
A new report provides information on energy performance of New York City's largest buildings (mostly commercial, multi-family residential). It provides an analysis of 2011 data from city-required energy “benchmarking”—or the tracking and comparison of energy performance—in more than 24,000 buildings that are over 50,000 square feet.
| Sep 27, 2013
ASHRAE/IES publish first standard focused on commissioning process
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 202, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems, identifies the minimum acceptable commissioning process for buildings and systems as described in ASHRAE’s Guideline 0-2005, The Commissioning Process. Standard 202 is ASHRAE’s first standard focused on the commissioning process.
| Sep 26, 2013
6 ways to maximize home-field advantage in sports venue design
Home-field advantage can play a significant role in game outcomes. Here are ways AEC firms can help create the conditions that draw big crowds, energize the home team to perform better, and disrupt visiting players.
| Sep 26, 2013
Literature review affirms benefits of daylighting, architectural glazing
The use of glass as a building material positively impacts learning, healing, productivity and well-being, according to a white paper published by Guardian Industries and the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The findings highlight the significant influence daylighting and outside views have on employees, workers, students, consumers and patients.
| Sep 26, 2013
Mobilizing your job site to achieve a paperless project: fact or fiction?
True mobility in the field has rapidly evolved from lock-box kiosks on each floor to laptops on rolling carts to tablets and iPads loaded with drawings sets stored in the cloud. And WiFi-ready job sites have gone from “nice to have” to “must have” status in just a little over a year.
| Sep 26, 2013
Leading in the face of change
As AEC firms navigate toward an uncertain future, the most effective leaders are those who eagerly adapt to change. Here are three attitudes that drive leaders who are of most value to their firms.
| Sep 23, 2013
The art of rewarding employees
What’s the best way to reward those employees who go the extra mile, particularly when it’s not always feasible to give large financial bonuses? According to author and “recognition expert” Dr. Bob Nelson, the most effective employee rewards are also the least expensive.
