The international design competition to select the architect for Finland’s new Museum of Architecture and Design in Helsinki has concluded with the announcement that JKMM Architects has been awarded first prize. The Helsinki-based practice’s proposal, known during the competition as Kumma, was chosen from 624 entries submitted from around the world. The open and anonymous competition, launched in April 2024, sought conceptual designs for a new 10,050-square-meter cultural institution to be built on the city’s South Harbor waterfront. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion and public opening planned for 2030.
The jury, chaired by Mikko Aho, announced the results at a ceremony held at Helsinki City Hall on September 11, attended by city and state officials as well as the five finalist teams. Second prize went to Cossement Cardoso for their entry City, Sea and Sky, while third prize was awarded to the Swiss practice Lopes Brenna for their project Moby. A collective of Finnish architects received fourth prize for the Tyrsky proposal, and Atelier Orda of France was granted a purchase option for TAU. JKMM Architects’ winning team was led by founding partner Samuli Miettinen and supported by a multidisciplinary group of collaborators, including Akukon, Granlund, MIR, Pentagon Design, and Ramboll Finland. The practice, established in 1998, is known for projects such as the Amos Rex art museum in Helsinki, Dance House Helsinki, and Finland’s pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, and is currently working on extensions to the National Museum of Finland and the Lillehammer Art Museum.
JKMM’s design was commended by the jury for its ability to integrate into the historic cityscape while standing out as a recognizable public building. Envisioned as a low-rise, pavilion-like structure with a triangular base, Kumma aims to establish a distinct architectural identity that both responds to its surroundings and asserts itself as a landmark. The compact building preserves views from Tähtitorninvuori Park toward Market Square and Katajanokka, while diagonally stepped walls and triangular facades are carried through the interiors and a central staircase. The exhibition floor extends onto a large sea-facing terrace that continues as an outdoor gallery and balcony.
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Set to open in 2030, the museum will bring together more than 900,000 artefacts, including objects, models, correspondence, and photographs, spanning the history of Finnish and Nordic design. The collection includes works by Aino and Alvar Aalto, Eero Saarinen, Maija Isola, and Paavo Tynell, as well as contemporary brands such as Marimekko, Nokia, and Fiskars. The building will host exhibitions, a design library, international programs, and public amenities such as a summer terrace, furthering its mission of “democratizing the tools of design.”
In related news, Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture has released images of the Jadids’ Legacy Museum in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, which will transform a historic residence into a “21st-century cultural destination.” At the same time, the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) has announced the groundbreaking of the National Museum of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Elsewhere, in Montenegro, A-fact has won the international competition for the new Museum District and Park of Arts & Culture in Podgorica.