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Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art

Helsinki, Finland.

The concept of Kiasma involves the building’s mass intertwining with the geometry of the city and landscape which are reflected in the shape of the building. An implicit cultural line curves to link the building to Finlandia Hall while it also engages a “natural line” connecting to the back landscape and Töölö Bay. In the landscape plan, extending the bay up to the building will provide an area for future civic development along this tapering body of water, which also serves as a reflecting pool for Finlandia Hall and new development along the south edge of the water. The horizontal light of northern latitudes is enhanced by a waterscape that would serve as an urban mirror, thereby linking the museum to Helsinki’s Töölö heart, which on a clear day, in Aalto’s word’s, “extends to Lapland.” The changes in elevation proposed with the water extension and it shallow depth would allow for parking decks and/or highway linkages which are presently part of various planning considerations.

The Helsinki Museum of Contemporary Art provides a variety of spatial experiences. We considered the range of contemporary artwork, and tried to anticipate the needs of a variety of artists including those whose works depend on a quiet atmosphere to bring out their full intensity. An exhibition space that works for an expressive and unpredictable artist such as Vito Acconci, must also work for artist such as Agnes Martin and Richard Tuttle. The general character of the rooms, which are almost rectangular with one wall curved, allows for a silent yet dramatic backdrop for the exhibition of contemporary art. These rooms are meant to be silent, but not static; they are differentiated through their irregularity.

Client
Finnish Ministry of Public Building
Location
Helsinki, Finland.
Years
1992–1998
Size
130,000 sq ft
Status
Complete
architect
Steven Holl Architects
Steven Holl (design architect)
Vesa Honkonen (project architect)
Tim Bade, Molly Blieden, Stephen Cassell, Pablo Castro-Estevez, Janet Cross, Justin Korhammer, Anderson Lee, Chris McVoy, Anna Müller, Justin Rüssli, Tomoaki Tanaka, Bradford Kelley, Tapani Talo (project team)
local architect
Juhani Pallasmaa Architects
Juhani Pallasmaa (principal architect)
Timo Kiukkola (project architect)
Seppo Mäntylä, Heikki Määttänen, Timo Ruusuvuori, Seppo Sivula, Merita Soini (project team)
structural engineer
Insinööritoimisto OY Matti Ollila & Co.
Ove Arup
HVAC engineer
Insinööritoimisto Olof Granlund OY
electrical engineer
Tauno Nissinen OY Consulting Engineering
mechanical engineer
Ove Arup
lighting consultant
L'Observatoire International
fire technical consultant
Markku Kauriala Ltd
glass consultant
Engineering Office Aulis Bertin, Ltd
theater technical consultant
Teatek
acoustical consultant
Arkkitehtitoimisto Alpo Halme
general contractor
Seicon OY

Timeline