The City of Helsinki is inviting proposals for the redevelopment of Makasiiniranta at South Harbour, the last old harbour area to be transformed for public use in the Finnish capital.
Developers and investors interested in taking part in the competition have until June 21 to register, with the proposed plans to be submitted by December.
In a second phase, the municipality will pick the four best entries in early 2022 with the winner expected to be announced in early autumn. The winning consortium will be granted a development reservation for further planning of the project.
The designated development area covers over 83,000 m2 of waterfront land is currently used for the Port’s terminal operations and parking. Intended as a new cultural heart of Helsinki, competition plans are to allow for the creation of an internationally prominent architecture and design museum complex, which will merge the two existing museums - the Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Design Museum - across an area tentatively set to 9,000 m2. Further leisure uses may also be planned for the waterfront destination, including a hotel, retail space, restaurants and walkable public realm.
Jan Vapaavuori, Mayor of Helsinki, said: ‘Cities evolve in response to cultural, societal, technological and economic shifts through time. Every generation should have the opportunity to improve the city they live in, and the transformation of this final part of South Harbour will integrate the heart of the city with access to the sea and archipelago, which are special characteristics of Helsinki’s identity. As this global pandemic has upended how we use public spaces and facilities, it is an appropriate and important time to look ahead and create a long-term foundation for all future Helsinkians that makes best public use of a prime piece of the city’s seafront and to give it the prominence it deserves.’
‘The Makasiiniranta competition follows recent years of strategic planning for Helsinki to develop the attractiveness and and vitality of the city centre, to enable a better urban life for residents and visitors. It is vital that this prime part of Helsinki and its access to the sea become a lively part of the city in future years and we are committed to realising plans for the site while upholding our carbon-neutral goals for the city,’ commented Rikhard Manninen, head of Urban Planning Division at The City of Helsinki.
