Saastamoinen Foundation supports the founding of the New Museum of Architecture and Design in Makasiiniranta, Helsinki. The New Museum of Architecture and Design is coming to Helsinki, combining the existing Museum of Finnish Architecture and Design Museum as well as their unique collections.
Illustration: Anja Reponen
The museum will be open to everyone, serving as a place for experiences and insights, proudly carrying the responsibility as a memory organization and an international top-tier museum.
In 2022, the city of Helsinki and the Finnish state established the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design, into which the foundations maintaining the Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Design Museum will merge at the beginning of 2024. A newly established company, AD Museum Ltd., will take over the operations and business activities of the museums.
Saastamoinen Foundation has granted 1 M euros to capitalize the museum foundation. The city of Helsinki and the Finnish state have conditionally committed to capitalizing the new museum. Along with Saastamoinen Foundation, among the capital contributors are other foundations such as the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.
The building of the new Museum of Architecture and Design will rise in the Makasiiniranta area of South Harbor, where it will form a vibrant and easily accessible ensemble together with the Market Square and the Old Market Hall. The museum is part of the Makasiiniranta area development project. A separate design competition is being held for the museum building, and the five finalist proposals of its second phase have been published for public viewing and comments on the City of Helsinki’s Kerrokantasi platform until July 31. The jury will consider the public feedback when selecting the winner, which will be announced in September 2025.
The competition received 624 proposals from around the world, and the refined entries are being evaluated based on criteria such as architectural quality, urban integration, and climate resilience. The proposals have been developed in dialogue with future museum users, experts, and the museum project team.
The new museum will be built in Makasiiniranta and is scheduled to open in 2030. Its design emphasises ecological, social, and cultural sustainability.
You can find more information and view the competition proposals on the Kerrokantasi website.