Re.Public
Extending the urban realm of Helsinki through the museum as a public platform and mediator
Helsinki, Finland | 2014
The new Guggenheim must perform as more than just a museum. As a new public platform Guggenheim Helsinki can act as an extension of the city where the global art culture intersects with the day-to-day pulse of the city. In addition to hosting artists, visitors, professionals, and scholars of the art world, this public reimagination of the museum can become a destination for the general public, a place for gatherings, ceremonies, day trips, and procrastinations. Through a range of public events Guggenheim can mediate the relationship of Helsinki to its waterfront, re-establishing a link that has been essential to the growth of the city.
The new gallery spaces offer a range of different spatial conditions that are more responsive to a variety of collections and media, ultimately generating a series of flexible rooms that can accommodate a range of shows and functions. The larger space of the museum is imagined as a four-seasons event space, activating both indoor and outdoor spaces as a public-facing, free-to-use urban realm. The inherent openness of the scheme catalyzes the evolution of the museum complex along with the city and its population.
