丨芬兰赫尔辛基

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

Timeline

Kiasma Museum one of the top 50 museums to visit in a lifetime

May 17, 2024

Kiasma Celebrates its 25th Anniversary

May 18, 2023

New Video: “Intertwining: A Conversation About Kiasma” with Richard Humann

April 7, 2020

Iwan Baan Visits Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art

February 12, 2019

Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, 20 Years Later

June 28, 2018

Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art Turns Twenty!

May 31, 2018

“Steven Holl: Making Architecture” opens at the Samuel Dorsky Museum

February 11, 2018