An 11-member jury representing the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation has selected six finalists, from a record-breaking 1,715 submissions, in the contest to design Guggenheim Helsinki in Finland’s capital.
In order to maintain the integrity of the selection process, the names of the finalists won’t be matched with their respective designs (which were submitted anonymously) until next June, when the winner will be announced. The competition allows the finalists to fine-tune their designs up through March 2015.
The finalists are:
• AGPS Architecture Ltd., with offices in Zurich and Los Angeles
• Asif Khan Ltd., in London
• Fake Industries Architectural Agonism, with offices in New York, Barcelona, and Sydney
• Haas Cook Zemmrick STUDIO2050, in Stuttgart
• Moreau Kusunoki Architect, in Paris
• SMAR Architecture Studio, in Madrid and Western Australia
The winning design will be awarded the equivalent of $136,000, and each of the five runners-up will recive $75,000.
In the jury’s statement, its chairman, Mark Wigley, a professor and dean emeritus at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, noted that each finalist “offers a distinctive and original way to create new public space for Helsinki, and each challenges the Guggenheim to develop unprecedented models of museum planning.”Â
The jury shared some observations about what it liked about each design, and what it was less enamored of:
Entry GH-04380895 was singled out for the way it grouped its pavilions that blended into the city’s fabric, and how it used natural light. The jury was “skeptical” about this design’s roofscape, as well as the placement and size of galleries.
Â
GH-1128435973 was praised for its “internal flexibility and external effect.” Its low form yet pronounced silhouette “was considered particularly interesting.”
Â
GH-121371443 was lauded for its “simple but extraordinary” design that integrated image and technology. However, the jury felt its internal program was “too diagrammatic.”Â
Â
GH-5059206475, whose design is based on an old store house and uses materials from existing buildings, “creates close relationships with its surrounding.”
Â
GH-5631681770 pays particular attention to public space, and the potential exhibition spaces “were considered authentic.” The jury liked the design’s “non-stereotypical” approach.
Â
GH-76091181 uses timber elegantly, and includes a “memorable” courtyard design “with circuits of independent galleries.” But the jury questioned the use of lifts as well as the galleries’ configurations.
Related Stories
Architects | Oct 2, 2018
Gensler, in latest report, highlights where resilient design could make the greatest impact on the built environment
The firm showcases its own recent projects as demonstrations for what can work in six areas.
Architects | Sep 24, 2018
Assembly (and rigorous planning) required: Managing the pros and cons of modular construction
While offering efficiency and flexibility, modular construction requires extensive planning and collaboration to avoid potential challenges.
Architects | Sep 19, 2018
Back it up: Parking lot trends
There are two shifts that we are seeing in parking lot planning and design – and these shifts are rooted in parking’s place at the intersection of environment, transportation, and market behavior.
Architects | Sep 14, 2018
We’ve entered the golden age of brain science. What does it mean for AEC firms?
New research from the SMPS Foundation explores the known principles and most recent research surrounding the human brain and behavioral science. The goal: to discover connections between the science and the AEC business.Â
Architects | Sep 6, 2018
S/L/A/M Collaborative completes merger with L.A.-based firm
The healthcare sector is one of Frank Webb Architects’ strengths.
Giants 400 | Sep 6, 2018
What's happening at 89 design firms
The latest developments at 89 of the nation's largest architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms.
Architects | Sep 6, 2018
Little details, big questions: Occupancy planning 101 for healthcare facilities
Transitioning into a new hospital is no easy feat and daily tasks can have a huge impact.
Architects | Aug 14, 2018
AIA takes a firmer stand on making schools safer with better design
The Institute urges the formation of a federal clearinghouse for best practices, and wants security-related design to be eligible for grants.
Architects | Aug 9, 2018
The convergence of product design and architecture
Great design is born out of simplicity, purity, timelessness, unobtrusiveness and intuitiveness.
Architects | Aug 1, 2018
Client experience as competitive advantage for AEC firms
Clients are looking for solutions to their business problems from collaborative advisors. They’ve come to expect a higher level of service and detail than what was provided in the past.