Recall that this open international competition has become one of the largest architectural events in recent years: 1,715 projects were submitted for the first round. At the same time, he drew a lot of criticism - both general, aimed at the culture of "iconic" buildings, not related to the context and without a well-thought-out function, in pursuit of the "Bilbao effect", and more specific. For many Helsinki residents, both architects and the general public, it was not clear what the building of a branch of the international museum network would give their city, for which they chose a very prominent place - in the historical center, in the South Harbor near the berths of cruise liners and ferries. Separate indignation was caused by the amount, which the project will cost the city of Helsinki. As a result, an alternative competition was even organized.
In such a situation, it is not surprising that the jury of the "official" competition chose a very restrained, "respectful", according to them, project of young architects from Paris
Nicolas Moreau and Hiroko Kusunoki under the motto “Art in the City” (GH-04380895). They see the museum as a series of pavilions with facades of almost black burnt wood - low and unobtrusive. Their free arrangement assumes both different scenarios of use and integration into the existing street network and social life of the center of Helsinki. Streams of people will be able to pass through the museum, bending around the pavilions, while the free spaces between them can be used for exhibitions and other events. At the same time, the architects also thought out a unified route of inspection, which is not hindered by the division of the museum into buildings.
The only "iconic" part of the building is a lighthouse tower with a viewing terrace at the top. Otherwise, the jury describes the project as “a broken, non-hierarchical, horizontal campus”, noting that the project is flexible and will be able to adapt to the changing needs of curators and visitors over the years. Among the areas for further development of the project were the problem of vertical circulation, the function of the main terrace and the construction of the roof.
