Modern brick building with curved walls, multiple windows and balconies, surrounded by trees and people, architecture by Gresford Architects.

A modern architectural design with large wooden structures in a circular layout, trees in the background, children playing on grass, architecture by Gresford Architects.

Spacious gallery with tall wooden framed glass walls, sunlight streaming in, contemporary sculptures, visitors conversing, architecture by Gresford Architects.

Interior view of a modern architectural space with large openings, tall columns, and a view of water outside; architecture by Gresford Architects.

Aerial view of a city harbour with ships, buildings and green parks, showing an urban grid; architecture by Gresford Architects.

Our building starts with the idea of a walk; between the city and forest, taking in the new gallery and the harbour. Walking is something that everyone does; it is free, healthy, sociable and sustainable. Our proposal would be inclusive and democratic, a building that encourages people who rarely go to galleries and museums to experience the wonders it has to offer, a building for the residents of Helsinki, not just for tourists.

The design has been conceived as a green and wooded landscape which flows out of Tähtitorninvuori Park and down into the city and which opens the majority of the site up as a public landscape that can become, whatever the weather, a destination and place for people to relax and socialise.

The fluid forms of the proposal denote the landscape and public spaces, while the simple orthogonal forms denote the galleries, some of which pop up through the landscape at second floor level, thus providing a clear definition of programme and creating simple wayfinding both from the city and within the museum.