Helsinki´s New Museum for Architecture and Design: Developing Waterfront Museum of the Future

Abstract

This thesis includes a design proposal for the New Museum of Architecture and Design. The location of the site is in the South Harbor of Helsinki, Finland. The idea was to challenge the typology of a waterfront landmark and create a structure that addresses the human scale. The main challenge of the design was to find a balance between the building´s relationship to its context, what is required for the optimal functionality of the new museum and how can social, economic and physical accessibility be integrated within. By analyzing the future users of the museum, the building´s program was established with a focus on the most vulnerable groups of society. The public nature of the museum will provide a focal point for the shore by activating and reviving the underused Makasiiniranta area. Each design step takes careful consideration of the approach to the site, internal circulation, views, and connections with external functions.