New Museum of Architecture and Design Competition

The Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design, Real Estate Company ADM, the City of Helsinki and SAFA the Finnish Association of Architects have launched an international, open design competition to find a design team for a new 10,050 sq m (GFA) museum building in Helsinki’s South Harbour.

Competition Brief

The competition brief outlines the qualities we are hoping to create in the new museum: an open, welcoming, calm, reflective space which will be embraced by the widest possible profile of visitors.

The lead designer must have a master’s degree in architecture and be a resident and have a license to practice architecture in an EU country, or in a country which is a party to the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA 2012).

The competition seminar will be held online on 24 April, 2024 at 15:00–17:00 (UTC+3). Competition participants and prospective participants have the opportunity to submit questions regarding the competition brief here.

The competition is organized by the Real Estate Company ADM, owned by the City of Helsinki and the State of Finland, and the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design, in collaboration with the City of Helsinki and the Finnish Association of Architects SAFA. Strategic partners for the museum project are DVDL Cultural Planners (New York) and Haahtela Group.

In case you are phasing challenges on downloading the competition materials, please contact on designcompetition@admuseo.fi.

Key Dates

Competition begins: 15 April 2024

The competition brief is published. Preregistration is not required. The lead designer must have a master’s degree in architecture and be a resident and have a license to practice architecture in an EU country, or in a country which is a party to the Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA 2012).

Competition seminar (online): 24 April 2024, 3–5 pm – UTC+3

Competition seminar is held online. The seminar is open for all. Join the streaming here.

Final date to submit questions regarding the competition: 12 May, 2024

Prospective competition participants can submit questions regarding the competition brief. Submit questions here. Answers to the questions are aimed to be published on the competition website by the end of May.

Closing date for Stage 1 submission: 29 August 2024, 5 pm – UTC +3

Competition entries must be digitally submitted before deadline through the submission portal. The link for the portal will be published on this website. The submission portal will close at the given time on the last day of submission.

Announcing the finalists: December 2024

The jury will select 3–5 entries for the Stage 2 of the competition.

Competition Stage 2: Feb – May 2025

The selected participants will further develop their entries based on the jury’s feedback.

Competition results announced: September 2025

The results of the competition are expected to be published in September 2025.

The Competition Jury

Chair

Mikko Aho, Architect SAFA, Vice Chair of Real Estate Company ADM

Vice Chair

Juha Lemström, Architect SAFA, Chair of Real Estate Company ADM

Gus Casely-Hayford, Director, V&A East

Beatrice Galilee, Architect, Executive Director, The World Around

Kaarina Gould, CEO, Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design

Salla Hoppu, Architect SAFA, Leading Architect, City of Helsinki

Beate Hølmebakk, Architect, Professor, Partner, Manthey Kula Architects

Riitta Kaivosoja, Director General, Ministry of Education and Culture, Department for Art and Cultural Policy

Matti Kuittinen, Architect, Associate Professor, Aalto University

Miklu Silvanto, Designer, AD Museum Ltd. (Member of the Board)

Anni Sinnemäki, Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment, City of Helsinki

Sari Nieminen, Architect SAFA, Architectural Office Sari Nieminen

Hannu Tikka, Architect SAFA, Professor, APRT Architects

Prizes and Purchases

A total of €300,000–400,000 in prizes will be awarded to selected competition entrants. Each team that reaches Stage 2 of the competition will be awarded €50,000 each. An instalment of €30,000 will be paid at the beginning of Stage 2. The remaining €20,000 will be paid upon receipt of a final proposal submitted by a design team and developed in accordance with the requirements of the competition. In addition to the awards of Stage 2, the jury will distribute three prize positions at the end of the competition.

The prizes and purchases shall be awarded after Stage 2 of the competition has been resolved. The jury may also award honorary mentions. The competition organiser will submit a tax exemption request to the Finnish Tax Authority for the prizes and purchases. All prizes and purchases are paid through the Finnish association of Architects (SAFA) and are subject to a 7% commission withheld by SAFA. The jury may, by an unanimous decision, change the distribution of the prize sum in accordance with the competition rules of SAFA.

1st prize €50,000

2nd prize €35,000

3rd prize €25,000

2 purchases €20,000 (each)

Each team that reaches Stage 2 of the competition will be awarded €50,000