From September 6 to October 15, 2025, the Aedes Architecture Forum in Berlin will host an exhibition on the Finnish architectural firm Helin & Co. The show aims to examine the firm's role in shaping Helsinki over the past two decades. Titled Heart and Horizon, it reflects the practice's approach of combining the human scale ("Heart") with an engagement with urban space along the waterfront ("Horizon"). A central focus is placed on three projects that have been fundamental to Helsinki's transformation: the Kamppi Centre, a networked urban quarter with mobility hubs, cultural and residential areas; the Kalasatama Centre, a new district on the former harbour that combines urban density with views of the sea; and the Sello District Centre in Espoo, a multifunctional complex with a library, music school and concert hall.
The international design competition to select the architect for Finland's new Museum of Architecture and Design in Helsinki has concluded with the announcement that JKMM Architects has been awarded first prize. The Helsinki-based practice's proposal, known during the competition as Kumma, was chosen from 624 entries submitted from around the world. The open and anonymous competition, launched in April 2024, sought conceptual designs for a new 10,050-square-meter cultural institution to be built on the city's South Harbor waterfront. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion and public opening planned for 2030.
Near the center of Helsinki, Finland, in the Töölö neighborhood, one can find the Temppeliaukio Church, an unusual-looking Lutheran church nestled between granite rocks. Approaching the square from Fredrikinkatu street, the church appears subtly, a flat dome barely rising above its surrounding landscape. An unassuming entrance, flanked by concrete walls, leads visitors through a dark hallway, and into the light-filled sanctuary carved directly into the bedrock. The exposed rock walls earned it the alternative name “The Church of the Rock.” To contrast the heaviness of the materials, skylights surrounding the dome create a play of light and shadows and a feeling of airiness.
The church is the result of an architectural competition won by the architect brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen in 1961. Their original solution was recognized not only for its creativity but also for the respect it showed to the competition’s goal: “to include the organization plan for the whole Temppeliaukio Square, taking into attention that as great part as possible of the rock outcrop of the square to be preserved.” The winning proposal achieves this by embedding the church inside the rock and placing parish facilities on the edges of the hillock. This article explores the story behind the Temppeliaukio Church both narratively and visually, through the lens of Aleksandra Kostadinovska, a professional photographer from Skopje.
Museums and cultural centers hold a unique position in society as spaces for learning, community, and connection. They serve as platforms for preserving history and engaging the public with new ideas and perspectives. Architecture plays a key role in shaping these experiences, providing the physical and emotional framework that enhances how people interact with art, culture, and each other. From monumental structures to more intimate designs, these cultural buildings have the potential to reflect local identities, champion sustainability, and inspire visitors while creating lasting cultural landmarks.
From Los Angeles to Turku and Vinh Long, this collection of conceptual museum and cultural center designs submitted by the ArchDaily community highlights the diversity and creativity of unbuilt projects. Each month, ArchDaily's editors select a collection of conceptual projects centered around a specific theme or program, submitted by architects from across the globe. In this collection, proposals range from a children's museum expansion in the United States to a sustainable agricultural museum in Vietnam, all showcasing how architecture can respond to distinct local contexts while fostering universal themes of education, play, and discovery. Whether celebrating archaeological heritage in Cyprus or reimagining public spaces in Finland, these projects explore how museums can serve as cultural hubs that engage and uplift their communities.
Originally designed by Modernist architect and designer Alvar Aalto in 1971, Finlandia Hall represents one of Helsinki's most important modernist works of architecture. In early 2022, an extensive renovation project began, led by Finnish architecture firm Arkkitehdit NRT, aiming to make the venue more accessible to the wider public and create additional services while respecting Alvar Aalto's original design. After three years of renovation, Finlandia Hall officially reopens on Saturday, 4 January 2025.
486 Moby. Image Courtesy of Finland’s New Museum of Architecture and Design
The Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design Foundation, in partnership with the Real Estate Company ADM, has unveiled the five designs shortlisted for the international competition aimed at offering Helsinki a new venue highlighting architecture history and design. This new museum, to be located in the historic South Harbour, has received global interest, with 624 anonymized submissions reviewed since September 2024. This announcement marks the completion of the competition's first phase, as all successful entries will advance to a second stage, receiving a financial award to refine their concepts.
Studio Aalto and its garden area have just been officially granted protection by the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport, and the Environment. Originally constructed in 1955 as an architect's office, with an extension in 1962-63, it holds major significance as the workspace where Alvar Aalto's acclaimed architecture was conceived. Additionally, the Studio reflects the architectural-office design ethos of the 1950s and 60s. Its interiors, including layers of furniture accumulated over decades, remain intact and are integral to the site's protected status, marking it as the first Aalto location in Finland to be listed in this way.
Portrait from 1999 (from the long-time office of Vilhelm Helander, Juha Leiviskä Architects). Image Courtesy of Juha Leiviskä Archive
Juha Ilmari Leiviskä, one of Finland´s foremost architects recognized for his design of light-filled poetic spaces, passed away on November 9, 2023, at the age of 87. Born in Helsinki and educated at Helsinki University of Technology, Leiviskä developed a personal style throughout his six decades-long career, working with his own family of forms to design buildings with unique identities, yet unified by their treatment of light and geometry. His architecture has been praised for its serene, hones, and timeless qualities, earning him numerous awards and international recognition.
Moving away from top-down approaches, contemporary practices embrace more inclusive and participatory models and design processes. Participatory planning, a notion that prioritizes involving the entire community in the decision-making process, has earned widespread recognition and popularity globally. Cities across the world have interpreted participatory planning to fit their unique needs, using technology and government resources to expedite and enhance the process.
Wivi Lönn (1872-1966) established and ran her own architectural office in Finland, becoming the first woman to do so. Lönn designed a number of significant public facilities and received widespread professional recognition, serving as a role model for aspiring female architects. And in May 1942, while a group of female architects gathered to commemorate Wivi Lönn's 70th birthday, they founded Architecta, the Finnish Association of Women Architects. At that point, up to a hundred women architects had already graduated in Finland. To celebrate the 150th birthday of architect Lönn and the 80th anniversary of the organization, Architecta commissioned interviews that highlight the different types of careers pursued by women in the field. Discover the profiles of 11 female Finnish architects with texts by Paula Holmila, journalist and architecture critic at Helsingin Sanomat, translated by Pirkko-Liisa Schulman.
SAARET. Image Courtesy of White Arkitekter and K2S Architects
The city of Helsinki has announced White Arkitekter and K2S Architects as the winners of the competition to design a new waterfront cultural destination in the Makasiiniranta area of Helsinki’s South Harbor. The redevelopment includes the site of a New Museum of Architecture and Design. Titled ‘Saaret,’ which translates to ‘The Islands,’ the proposal aims to create a well-integrated development that brings together cultural and sustainable environments. It also promises to improve the area’s microclimate and create bio-diverse habitats by using the space available on the rooftops to add beehives, vegetable and herb gardens.
