4TH YEAR SCHOOL - Contemporary Art Museum in Helsinki, Finland

The challenge to this site was the Helsinki Mannerheimintie Roadway that divided the program spaces on each side of the road. I decided to go under the road to connect the spaces.



Since the Finish maritime culture is steeped in stories of vikings and sea serpents, I decide to use a sea serpent as a basis for the design parti. Again, I used the serpentine ribbed form of the previous T-REX fossil model for inspiration on this project. The form of the building is similar to somewhat of a sea-serpent eating its tail while wrapped above and below the freeway level.


The color parti model shown here gives an indication of how the circulation device in red connects the entrance to galleries and outdoor gardens on both sides of the freeway. The circulation device runs each patron through the entire structure to end up a the entrance again, like a gastro intestinal roller coaster.


This project was later published in the 1994 October issue of A+U magazine in an article about our studio professor, Martin Price. Click on the "Publication & Awards" label for more information.