Guggenheim Helsinki finds the intersection of a building as port of call, a chapel for art, and a place imbued with the tactile influence of Finnish design and culture. This melding of functions and symbolism evokes a monumental scale with intimate experiences.
Marking the space between water and land, this design is an implied berth for ships, a connector of vehicular transportation, and a clear public pathway. Evoking a ship’s hull, the building symbolizes an important civic presence with an inviting nature for public use. As a cathedral, it houses Finnish culture within an envelope of traditional materials that are articulated within a contemporary framework. Long clay bricks in a pronounced pattern are embedded into an array of pre-cast panels to create both a unique geometry for the building skin, as well as an undulating material surface that uniquely evokes a strong Nordic influence, which is mirrored in wood on the interior.
