Makasiini Museum
Typology: Cultural Architecture
Organiser: Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design
Collaborators: Studio VW, Atelier Coevo
Visuals: Maksim Kuzuro
Site: Helsinki, Finland
Year: 2024
Turning the heritage of the port
into the engine of innovation
The Makasiinimuseo design draws inspiration from the harbour’s industrial heritage. The ground floor acts as the “negative” of former pitched-roofed shed buildings which resided on the site, keeping alive the memory of the port.
These sheds further create the grid on which the building is structured, conceived as a warehouse of design and architecture where future generations will find inspiration. The building’s form is highly contextual, its curved plan guides visitors towards the new waterfront, while its volume harmonises the heights of the old city with those of the new development.
We propose to include a Recycling Learning Centre in the museum. An educational space dedicated to teaching new generations about recycling and circular economy practices. Designed as an open and interactive environment, the centre will host events, workshops, and activities. Visitors will explore the life cycle of materials and learn to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
The Makasiinimuseo facade incorporates valuable steel recycled from decommissioned and discarded ships, continuing the work of the Blue White Eagle cruiser, demolished in Turku as a pilot project
for ship recycling in Finland.
