A new national museum of architecture and design will be built in Helsinki's South Harbour after a design by JKMM Architects was selected as the winner of an international competition.
The proposal, titled Kumma, was chosen from more than 600 entries submitted to a two-phase competition. Five finalists were shortlisted before the jury selected Kumma as the winning concept. The result was announced on Thursday at Helsinki City Hall.
The building will be located at Makasiinilaituri, a waterfront site previously considered for a Guggenheim museum. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 or 2028, with the museum scheduled to open in 2030.
The total floor area of the new museum will be around 10,000 square metres. The project is funded jointly by the City of Helsinki, the Finnish state and private donors, with a budget of approximately €150 million.
Kumma features a low-rise profile that preserves views across the harbour towards landmarks such as the Market Square, Katajanokka and Tähtitorninmäki. The structure includes sloped, angular walls, and repeated triangular motifs throughout its façade, interior and staircase.
A large terrace will face the sea and wrap around the building as an outdoor gallery. According to the designers, the visual character is intended to be distinctive but unobtrusive, balancing architectural impact with the surrounding urban landscape.
The competition jury described the design as “clear and timeless,” noting that its modest height does not prevent it from having “a strong character.” The chair of the jury, Mikko Aho, said the building “respects its environment while becoming a recognisable landmark.”
While the jury found no proposal ready for construction as submitted, Kumma was praised for its development potential. Further refinement will focus on improving accessibility and finalising environmentally sustainable construction solutions.
JKMM Architects has previously worked on several high-profile cultural projects in Finland, including the Amos Rex museum, the new extension of the National Museum, and the Dance House Helsinki. The firm also won the Finlandia Prize for Architecture in 2023 for its design of Tammela Stadium.
Speaking at the announcement, JKMM’s lead architect Samuli Miettinen said the project “started from love for the city” and called South Harbour “a national landscape.” He described the building as a “human-scale, social space” designed for both professionals and the public.
Miettinen added that the museum could become a new civic gathering space in Helsinki.
“Perhaps one day people will celebrate a hockey world championship in front of Kumma, rather than at Havis Amanda,” he said.
The materials proposed for the building include cast-in-place concrete and recycled bricks. The jury described these choices as ambitious and technically demanding, underlining the need for close coordination during planning and construction.
The competition was held anonymously and included participants from across Europe. The second prize was awarded to the Portuguese-Belgian studio Cossement Cardoso for City, Sky and Sea, and third prize to Swiss studio Lopes Brenna for Moby. Finnish collective VAPAA came fourth with Tyrsky, while the jury also purchased the French studio Atelier Orda’s Tau proposal.
The current Design Museum building in Ullanlinna will be vacated once the new museum opens. Its future use remains undecided.
HT
