The international design competition for Finland’s New Museum of Architecture and Design, set to be built in Helsinki’s South Harbour, has attracted 623 entries from architect-led teams from around the world. The competition kicked off with an open call for designs running from 15 April to 29 August 2024. The submitted proposals are available to view online and revealed during Helsinki Design Week on September 12, mark the first stage of the competition. ‍

Link to the online gallery to view the proposals: http://competitiongallery.admuseo.fi

All entries were submitted anonymously and will now be reviewed by an international jury of leading architects, cultural experts and policymakers, who will select 3-5 proposals as finalists invited to progress to Stage 2 of the competition in December 2024. Stage 2 of the competition, beginning in February 2025 and concluding in May, will allow selected teams to redefine their concepts into viable proposals. The results of the competition will be announced in September 2025. Finalists will receive €50,000, with additional prizes of €50,000, €35,000 and €25,000 for first, second and third place.  

Finland’s Minister of Science and Culture Sari Multala, highlighted the cultural significance of the project: "Our new Museum of Architecture and Design is landmark project that celebrates Finland's rich legacy in design and architecture. This competition is an important step in creating a space that honours our strong cultural heritage in design and architecture, which is treasured by our people and admired worldwide. The Finnish government is deeply committed to supporting this project, recognising its significance in inspiring future generations."  

Mayor of Helsinki, Juhana Vartiainen recognizes the project’s potential to Helsinki’s reputation: “The architecture competition for the new Museum of Architecture and Design will introduce a new landmark to the cityscape of Helsinki in a hugely significant site on the waterfront of the city’s South Harbour. This is a project that will strengthen the appeal and ambition of the city of Helsinki as a design and architecture destination, and we are overwhelmed by the quality of the responses to the competition”

The new museum, scheduled to open in 2030, will combine the Museum of Finnish Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki. The combined collection contains over 900,000 artefacts, including objects, correspondence, models and photographs documenting the work of important practitioners such as Aino and Alvar Aalto, Eero Aarnio, Maija Isola, Eliel and Eero Saarinen, Paavo Tynell, and design brands such as Marimekko, Nokia and Fiskars. The museum’s central mission will be “democratising the tools of design”, drawing on the history and present of Finnish and Nordic architecture and design to guide a programme of public activities that will look at how design thinking and skills are relevant to the challenges we face as individuals and societies in a rapidly changing world.  

The new museum is set to be a significant cultural landmark for Helsinki, providing a space for creativity, reflection, and engagement with design for generations. Kaarina Gould, CEO of the Finnish Architecture and Design Museum Foundation and member of the jury, concluded:  "The competition brief for Finland's new National Museum of Architecture and Design is an ambitious vision that embraces the museum's civic role in democratizing access to the tools of design. We seek an architecturally unique building that meets high sustainability goals while being a welcoming and inspiring space—an active hub of engagement and creativity for many, and a place of calm and reflection for others. The jury has been deeply impressed by the thoughtful and innovative interpretations from architects and creative teams on how the new museum can best serve our communities.”