By the end of the year, the competitors are expected to submit an overall plan, detailing the expansion of the city centre, along with its services, to Makasiiniranta. The Makasiiniranta area will become part of the pedestrian city centre and the seaside trail around the shores of Helsinki, and will be the location of a new architecture and design museum.
The two-phase quality and concept competition is intended for both Finnish and international operators, or consortia, in the construction and real estate industry who have the technical, financial and other prerequisites to design and realise a particularly challenging and high-quality construction project along the western shore of Helsinki’s South Harbour bay.
Of the competition applications received by the deadline, 11 groups meet the eligibility requirements.
“We are pleased that the competition has attracted so much interest,” said Mikko Aho, head of the city of Helsinki’s Urban Environment Division. “The participating consortia are very knowledgeable and I believe we will receive high quality and diverse competition proposals. The location is a valuable business card for Helsinki, so our expectations regarding the quality of public space, for example, are very high.”
The proposals will be submitted under pseudonyms and put on public display for comment in late 2021 following the end of the first phase of the competition. The jury will select a maximum of four best competitors for the second phase. The selected competitors will compile more detailed proposals by the end of June 2022, with the results due to be announced in autumn 2022.
The design groups accepted into the competition are:
- Foster & Partners, Maanlumo, Ramboll, Hines Nordics
- HGR Property Partners, PES-Architects, VSU, A-insinöörit
- Konsortium Gran: K2S Architecs, White Arkitekter, Ramboll, HTJ
- Merellinen Helsinki 2030: JKMM, Loci, Ramboll
- NCC Property Development, NCC Suomi (NCC, Arkkitehdit Soini & Horto, AOR Arkkitehdit, MASU Planning, Destia, Ramboll Finland, Salsa Concept)
- Skanska CDF, Skanska Talonrakennus (Skanska Talonrakennus, Arkkitehtitoimisto ALA, SLA, Sitowise
- South Harbour (NREP, SRV, Anttinen Oiva Arkkitehdit, Nomaji maisema-arkkitehdit, Sitowise)
In addition four other teams were accepted into the competition on a conditional basis, with their applications requiring specifications:
- AALTO Development, Shigeru Ban Architects, LMA, VSU, Sitowise
- Elävä Eteläsatama, Arkkitehdit Tommila, A-insinöörit, VSU
- Kuryłowicz & Associates, Hill International, RS Landscape Architecture, CTD
- Maestro Design & Management, Arkitektur & Development, Sweco Arkitekter, Rolf Lundgren
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