The architecture of the museum evolves out of overlaying the rationale of the historical urban structure of the precincts with the poetics of an ascending and spiraling pedestrian promenade. The intimate courtyard of the existing urban block is transformed into a city court articulated by the galleries on the south and west. The court in turn becomes the container of a ‘Winter Garden’ that continues along the descending spiral.

“overlaying the rationale with the poetics”

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“symbolic gesture of departure and reconciliation”

The ‘City Stairs’ sweeps up from the harbor front towards the ocean and then spirals on itself finding its way back to the city.

The upward movement provides for a holistic appreciation of the context and also frees the ground plane opening up possibilities for physical and visual connections across and below it.

The city court contains the ‘Winter Garden’ that is perceived to be a green haven that shelters and protects the city’s people from the extremities of climate. In being located at a threshold it also aspires to be a warm and welcoming beacon like portal to the city.

+42.0+44.9

+22.8+35.0

+64.2

+10.5

+26.2

+82.6

+18.7

+70.5

+18.2

+2.0

Ursa Astronomical Association Observatory Saksalainen Church Palace Hotel Helsinki Cathedral Uspenski Cathedral

Saksalainen Church

Johanneksen Church URSA astronomical Association Observatory

Uspenski Cathedral

Valkosaari

Helsinki Cathedral

Luoto

Best Western Premier Hotel

Emulating the historical urban block.... .... to form the city court..... .....that contains the winter garden.... ....embraced by an ascending promenade

“a penchant for ascent”

“a green haven for the city”

The City Stairs

The Galleriesboxed projections to the city

The museum hence becomes a singular gesture of the 3 components; ‘The Winter Garden’, ‘The City Stairs’ and ‘The Galleries’ that come together as a whole celebrating the union of Nature, Man and Culture.

Public staircase/ramp

Winter garden/multipurpose zone

Winter gardenFoyer

Service path

LibraryGallery 4Storage

Offices

Gallery 1

Gallery 2

Gallery 3

Public Deck

Public Core connecting deck and winter garden

Auditorium, Library, Administration and Cafe are arranged along service access

Public StaircaseCycling ramp

Wooden ribs with glass membrane

Glass roof with steel frame covering winter garden

Storage and maintenance

Winter garden

Auditorium services

Administration/offices

Cafe Art/generalloading dock

The Galleries

The Winter Garden

Glass Roof over Winter Garden

The City Stairs

Wooden Ribs over Ciy Stairs

Path towards Proposed Terminal

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Ground level 0.0m

Programs and events - 700 Sq.mAdministration/offices - 300 Sq.mCafe and restaurant - 750 Sq.mVisitors Services/ Foyer/Retail /Multipurpose Zone- 1500 sq mWinter Garden / Outdoor display area - 3000 Sq mActivity/lerning spaces - 300 Sq.m

First level +3m

Library - 300 Sq.mOffices - 300 Sq.m

First gallery level +6m

Gallery 1- 1200 sqmGallery 4- 700 sqmActivity/learning facilities- 300 sqmCollection storage- 150 sqm

Second gallery level +12m

Gallery 2- 1000 Sq.mCollections storage/maintenance- 500 sqmActivity/learning spaces- 100 sqm

Third gallery level +18m

Gallery 3- 1200 Sq.mActivity/learning spaces- 200 Sq.m

Public plaza/performance stage

Public Staircase level +24m

RestaurantsAmphitheatrePublic deck

Roof envelope

“man, nature and culture”

Public activities/foyer restaurant with Public throughfare connecting proposed terminal and plaza

Public Plaza

Proposed Terminal

Museum SiteCirculation + Cores + Visitor Facilities

Galleries

Winter Garden

Administration/ Offices

Auditorium and Learning facilities

Cafeteria and RestaurantStorage

+ 3 m

+ 6 m

+ 12 m

+ 18 m

+ 24 m

Activity areaService access

CirculationAdministration

Winter Garden Reception Foyer and visitor servicesGalleries Public Plaza

Public Deck/StairsGallery

Interior View of Gallery and Main Foyer View of the Grand Gallery

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Design and orientation of the galleries helps to increase solar exposure of the winter garden during winter months, trapping solar energy and increas-ing the air temperature inside. The same galleries and landscaping helps to shade the Winter Garden during Summer Hours.

+ 3 m

+ 6 m

+ 12 m

+ 18 m

+ 24 m

GalleriesLibraryMultifunctional Classroom

Winter GardenGalleriesReception

FoyerWinter GardenPublic DeckGalleryService Access

Service access

Main RoadSpace for Proposed Terminal

Summer- Cooling through natural ventilation Winter- Trapped heat for increasing building temperature

Wind Buffering

The challenge is to conceive of a design that can perform exceptionally well during intensely cold conditions, yet remain open and engaging throughout the year. Counter to what might first come to mind, a lightweight cladding system, enabled through innovative materials, is also the key to minimizing embodied carbon of the structure and total environmental impact of the project. For inspiration we looked towards nature, intrigued by the incredibly clever arctic fox that had evolved to thrive in this widely varying climate. Specific elements we aimed to encapsulate in the design were a compactness of form, buffering from wind, high performance insulation, capture of solar energy and countercurrent radiant heat exchange.

100% 111% 146% 114% 101%

Glazed Winter Garden

Compactness

By thermodynamics, a reduction of surface area to volume will limit thermal losses to the surrounding environment. As a response, to limit heating energy, we incor-porated a compact courtyard scheme with a glazed winter garden to trap solar energy in the complex’s core.

100%

Winter Spring Summer Autumn

High Performance Insulation and Solar Energy

One of the most unique aspects of arctic animals, such as the fox or polar bear, is its hollow fur fibers. While giving the appearance of white, a result of light scattering, these animals are in fact black to help absorb solar energy. The project makes use of a translucent aerogel insulation in the core of the building through the winter garden atrium to achieve a similar effect at an incredible R-10 per inch.

U = 0.14 W/m2k

outside air -10C inside 24C

Winter Winds

Heating Load without Winter Garden= 30BTU/ sqft i.e 40,35,000 BTU for the musuem

Heating Load with High performance Insulation: 24 BTU/ sqft i.e. 32,28,000 BTU

Heating Load with High performance Insulation + Winter Garden: 18 BTU/ sqft i.e. 24,21,000 BTU

Countercurrent Heat Exchange

Like the intertwining of arteries and veins to help maintain a consistent temperature even at the extremities for arctic animals, the building makes use of radiant heating, fed from an array of staged Gas Absorption Heat Pumps and cooling directly from the harbor with an interlocking array of loops within building walls and floors.

Wooden Ribs

Glass Membrane

Curtain wall

Glass memberane

Steel structure

Curtain wall

WinterGarden

Galleries

Offices

Offices

Foyer

PublicStaircase

Integral Radiant Heating and Coolingin floor and ceiling

Direct harbor water cooling(if acceptable)

Glazing traps heat in winter

Louvers shade in summer along with vents opening to prevent excess heat build up

% of Surface Area Exposed to sun

% of Atrium Area Exposed to sun

Biogas Absorption Heat Pump

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View of the Winter Garden