A four-story museum building is a combination of large, inverse, intersecting cylindrical shapes, forming a singular object-type structure reminiscent of sea waves frozen in motion. The building balances structural integrity, functionality, aesthetics, and cost to arrive at a design that meets all the necessary criteria, following the best traditions of finished architecture.
It is made of high-performance insulation composite stainless-steel panelling with low environmental impact. The building's opaque envelope has significant thermal mass, which helps absorb, store, and release heat—important passive elements in the building's thermal management. The panels are made of a Glulam "basket" double grid-shell fixed to a steel tube network superstructure, while the internal parts are constructed with CLT slabs and walls. Thus, the building's feel and look are defined by steel on the outside and wood on the inside. Internally, the exoskeleton and "baskets" are left exposed to show their structure and texture. Three types of cylindrical shapes have a clear radius, making the production efficient and structurally feasible. To maintain the solid look of the building, some rooms have perforated steel panelling, while the terrace features clear openings.
The building incorporates flexible solar panelling on the roof. Cost-effectiveness is core; hence the building is designed using a limited palette of materials and unified structural elements.
The shape of the building maximizes the site outline, with the overall height reaching a maximum of 21 meters from the raised platform, which is 1.2 meters above the flood risk level.
The main entrance is organized from the market square, as is the shop entrance. The lobby features a double-height atrium space with a meandering staircase leading into the building to the first-floor event hall, then to galleries on the next level, which have an exposed "wave" ceiling and an outdoor terrace.
Overall, the building is organized into four levels:
• Ground: Entrance spaces & lobbies, shop facilities, café & restaurant, offices & staff spaces, museum logistics, technical workshop, event & retail support areas, technical spaces
• First: Events & conference spaces, library & resource centre, offices & staff spaces, event & retail support areas, technical spaces
• Second: Galleries, outdoor terrace
• Third: Technical spaces
The building is designed adhering to Building Regulations and Eurocode to ensure health & safety, accessibility, and environmental sustainability. The fire safety strategy incorporates multiple escape routes planned to comply with regulatory distances to staircases with direct fire exits. Water drainage is incorporated into the "basket" surfaces on the roof.
Circulation is divided into front and back - with public entrances at the front and logistics at the rear. The shop and café have direct access, while museum logistics are served from the rear, and via Laivasillankatu Street. One goods lift and two staff lifts support logistics and technical areas, while two public lifts at the front provide access to events, galleries, and the outdoor terrace. Events, conference spaces, and the library are on the first floor; galleries and the terrace are on the second; technical rooms, partially open, are on the top level with direct roof access. Three fire escape stairs are situated at three sides of the building.
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