THE SWAN HARBOUR - nexthelsinki.org

Prepared for:The city of Helsinki

For the submission to:Planning for the next Helsinki competition 2015

Copyright by:UTOR

March 2015

Planning the next Helsinki

THE SWAN HARBOUR

The Swan Harbour HelsinkiDesigning the next Helsinki

”The city is the greatest collective work of art ever conceived.” Michael Sourkin

For Helsinki to be communicated worldwide it requires an essential idea, one that is linked to its soul and informs humanity on a global scale.

The world’s largest architecture competition in history is taking place in Helsinki. To date we count over 2100 entries in relation to the Harbour alone. Now a further com-petition is called out.

Something great and unique is happening for Helsinki. It appears the world is very keen to create Helsinki as a collective piece of art. However a point is being reached where there are almost too many good ideas but no strategy of how to make use of them.

;OPZ�WYVWVZHS�WYV]PKLZ�[OPZ�Z[YH[LN �̀�0U�[OL�MVSSV^PUN�`V\�^PSS�ÄUK�H�TL[OVKVSVN`�[OH[�comes to life in the symbiosis of the Kalevala and the city of Helsinki itself. Rather [OHU�H�ÄUPZOLK�I\PSKPUN�[OPZ�WYVWVZHS�ZOV^Z�[OL�WVZZPIPSP[`�VM�Z`TIPVZPZ�[V�PUZWPYL�further research and a collective design process. It uses elements unique to the Finn-ish culture only and combines them on their essential level into a message of global importance.

Communicating this essence becomes communicating Helsinki on a global scale and as a message the world needs more than ever: An understanding towards each other and the world we live in.

The vision of the Swan Harbour was born.

THE SWAN HARBOUR - A GLOBAL MESSAGEINTRODUCTION


UNDERSTANDING A GUGGENHEIM

Before going into the proposal we take a step back to look at what is driving this entire discussion altogether: Is it fame or essence?

To understand the Guggenheim Effect one needs to understand the main Guggen-heim museums. The Guggenheim New York and Guggenheim Bilbao are both ground-breaking milestones in architecture. In both cases the fascination about these museums results from the purity of idea and form:

The GGH NY Translates the idea of the journey through a museum itself into architec-[\YL��(�NYH]P[H[PVUHS�WH[O�PU�[OL�MVYT�VM�H�ZWPYHS�ILJVTLZ�ÅVVY��MHJHKL��YVVM�HUK�ZWHJL�at the same time. Architecture and form emerge from the idea of movement.

The GGH BB,�^OPSL�YLZWVUKPUN�[V�HYJOP[LJ[\YHS�HUK�\YIHU�KLZPNU�YLX\PYLTLU[Z��translates the concept of a museum into art itself. Architecture becomes sculpture. *VU]L`PUN�^OH[�.�[OL�JHSSLK�[OL�.LZ[HS[��P[�YLZVUH[LZ�^P[O�WLVWSL�^VYSK^PKL�

The purity of art is what brings us closer to the understanding of the origin of idea and ultimately of our self. Ancient philosophy considers idea and form the same entity of a metaphysical realm. Art too is a unique language we have to communicate with each other and the metaphysical realm. It was this under-standing of art and architecture that inspired this project.

ART & ARCHITECTURE


UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF THE KALEVALA

Finland’s Kalevala – its legendary chronicle – encapsulates the essence of what it is to be Finnish. This is one of the three key starting points we have taken in designing our solution for the Next Helsinki South Harbour site. We investigated:

��[OL�2HSL]HSH�� 2) the land the city is build upon and 3) the cities urban design.

Understanding the essential layer between Finland’s cultural epic and nature itself inspired us to go back to the cities very beginnings and look at the land Helsinki is build upon.

By understanding the cities underlying energy we discovered Helsinki’s underlying geometry that apparently is not common knowledge. In the dimension of its geometry Helsinki and the Kalevala meet on a metaphysical level which can be understood as nature itself.

The essence of the Kalevala emerged as a power to inspire a nation. This power inspired a vision of designing a harbour that can inspire a world.

EVOKING THE SPIRIT OF A NATION

Helsinki / Geometry

Geometry / Idea

The Kalevala

The Land / Energy


UNDERSTANDING THE LAND OF HELSINKI

Helsinki’s underlying energy was ana-lysed by a Geomantist:

// Shown magenta the Union Axis and Fredrikinkatu are Ley-Lines, similar to Paris Champs Elysees or Berlin Unter den Linden.

// Shown blue an octagonal Hagall System is located around the Helsinki Cathedral with the Senate Square being a central 6TWOHSVZ�WVPU[��ZOV^U�YLK��KLÄUPUN�[OL�centre of an energy system.

// Shown cyan global Grid-Lines run paral-lel with the Union Axis through the Helsinki Cathedral as well as parallel to the Espla-naden.

// Geological Faul-Line or discontinuety in local volume of rock, shown dashed blue.


UNDERSTANDING HELSINKI’S UNIVERSAL GEOMETRYTHE CITY RESPONDS TO THE LAND IT IS BUILD UPON USING UNIVERSAL GEOMETRY

// An 1815 map of Helsinki shows an early symbiosis of urban design, the energy of the land and Universal Geometry.

// The cities urban design is based on the golden section. The cities two main grids are rotated in an angle identical to the diagonal of a Golden Rectangle.


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Scheme 1: General Arrangementscale 1:20000

18.00°

108°

31.72°

UNDERSTANDING HELSINKI’S SACRED GEOMETRYHELSINKIS’ UNIVERSAL GEOMETRY IS EXTENDED TO POSITION ITS MAIN CHURCHES

// Helsinki’s geometry was later extended across the wider city, architecture and loca-tion of churches.

// Two main axis are created that use the same geometric principles and arrange-ment of churches.

// The Union Axis and Fredrikinkatan are \UPÄLK�I`�[OLPY�NVSKLU�HUNSL�YLSH[PVUZOPW�[V�each other.

// The re-located original Cathedral as well as the main Helsinki Cathedral are each located in golden proportion to their asso-ciated main axis, thus unifying both city grids with the same church.

// The Loennrot Memorial is placed sym-bolically behind the original cathedral, con-ÄYTPUN�[OL�2HSL]HSH�HZ�H�M\UKHTLU[HS�SH`LY�of the Finnish culture.

// The city’s urban design links land, religion and culture through the lan-guage of universal geometry.

Kallion Cathedral

Helsinki Cathedral

The Observatory

St. Johanneksen Church

Temppeliaukio Church


UNDERSTANDING UNIVERSAL GEOMETRYNATURE REFLECTS IN GEOMETRY

// Entering the competition the under-standing of geometry and ‘essential idea’ became a central part to our analysis and approach.

// Plato considered geometry the clear-est language to describe the metaphysical realm. He considered the understanding of geometry and logic as innate in us.

// For Plato reality consisted of pure essences or essential Ideas, of which the phenomena we perceive are only mere YLÅLJ[PVUZ��:PTPSHY�[V�[OL�HUJPLU[�.YLLR�word ‘Idea’ also translating as ‘Form’ they are essentially one.

// In universal geometry number has an essential meaning parallel to its numerical ]HS\L�[OH[�JHU�IL�NLVTL[YPJHSS`�YLÅLJ[LK!

one - unity - point two - duality - line three - trinity - triangle four - 1st product - square

GEOMETRY� �5(;<9,!

;OL�.VSKLU�4LHUZ�ZOV^Z�PU�UH[\YL�YLÅLJ[-ing its proportionate and harmonious laws.

GEOMETRY� �(:;96564@!

Venus’ 8 year cycle around the earth shows a pentagram in projection.

GEOMETRY� �;/,�405+!

When a string is halved, the frequency dou-bles and our mind registers this event as jump in octave.


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18.00°

108°

31.72°

USING WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVEA SYMBIOSIS OF CULTURE, URBAN DESIGN AND GEOMETRY

Our proposal uses the philosophical link between number, form and mean-ing as a design language.

// An all informing concept emerged to use the philosophical dimension of geom-etry inherent to the city of Helsinki to expose the unifying essence between:

��[OL�2HSL]HSH�� 2) the land the city is build upon and 3) the cities urban design.

// Communicating this essence becomes Helsinki communicating on a global scale a message the world needs more than ever: An understand-ing towards each other and the planet we live on.

// The result is a symbiosis of Helsinki and the Kalevala in the metaphysical realm of geometrical understanding.

The culture epic describing nature The city as a vision of universal unity

An urban design respecting nature

The metaphysical realm of understanding nature

The harmonic laws of nature


COMPLETING HELSINKI’S GEOMETRYTHE GGH SITE IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT SITE IN THE HARBOUR

//The GGH site emerged as the single most important site for the future devel-opment of the harbour.

// It has the potential to complete the cities geometry and to inform its existing heritage.

// To the North/West the site should be kept clear to create a new urban axis that respects the Cathedral as well as a key energy line that runs parallel to the Union Axis though the Cathedral.

// To the South/East the site should be extended to include the intersection point between Hamangatan and the Nora Kajen shoreline in the angle of a pentagram.


THE SWAN MUSEUM - 5 ELEMENTS OF HARMONYA SYMBIOSIS OF THE KALEVALA & URBAN DESIGN PROMOTING A GLOBAL MESSAGE

// The swan museum uses the philosophi-cal and symbolic meaning of geometry HUK�U\TILY��H�SHUN\HNL�PUOLYLU[�[V�[OL�JP[ �̀�[V�TLYNL�[OL�ZP[L�^P[O�[OL�2HSL]HSH�and Heliski’s urban design.

// It invites to a new way of designing Helsinki. A vision where further research is undertaken into the city and the Kale-vala to further promote the locations THNUPÄJLU[�OLYP[HNL�HUK�Z[YLUN[O�

// Each element links a layer of urban KLZPNU�^P[O�H�SH`LY�VM�[OL�2HSL]HSH��PU�Z\T�creating a symbiosis of unity.

// In doing so it invites the world to see that at an essential level we are all one.

01 THE SWAN OF WISDOM 02 THE PATH OF UNDERSTANDING

03 THE OUTLOOK OF THE PEOPLE 04 THE UNIFYING ROOF 05 THE SAMPO SPACE


ELEMENT 1 - THE SWAN OF WISDOMA NATIONAL SYMBOL LIFTING HELSINKI’S GEOMETRY INTO ELEVATION

// Singing about the beauty and sorrow of life the swan in the form of a rotated and folded pentagon lifts Helsinki’s underlying harmonic geometry into elevation, thus unifying culture, urban design and architecture.

// This 80 meter high new symbol is located at the point where the Norra Kajen shore line and Hamngatan intersect in the angle of a pentagram.

// The swan is created from a larger pen-[HNVU�[OH[�ÄSSZ�[OL�LU[PYL�OHYIV\Y�KLÄU-ing the centre of the Esplanade and the Kasarmitori square.

// The swan turns its head towards the Helsinki cathedral in the same way the Kalevala is chanted looking at each other.

��;OL�Z^HU��H�JLU[YHS�Z`TIVS�VM�[OL�2HSL-vala and Finnish culture is found within [OL�NLVTL[Y`�VM�[OL�OHYIV\Y��Z`TIPV[P-JHSS`�SPURPUN�J\S[\YL��JP[`�HUK�\UP]LYZHS�SHUN\HNL��PU]P[PUN�^PZKVT�

18.00°

31.72°

18.00°


ELEMENT 2 - THE PATH OF UNDERSTANDINGTHE MUSEUM AS A PATH LINKING KALEVALA AND URBAN DESIGN

��;OL�2HSL]HSH��JVSSLJ[LK�I`�,SPHZ�3�U-UYV[��PZ�LZZLU[PHSS`�[OL�LMMVY[�VM�VUL�PUKP-]PK\HS�\UPM`PUN�\UKLY�VUL�\TIYLSSH��^OH[�ultimately inspired the identity of an entire nation.

// This essence is translated into the geo-TL[YPJ�ÄN\YL�VM�HU�VWLU�PUÄUP[`�SVVW�

// The path is embedded into a larger path between the Cathedral and the 6IZLY]H[VY �̀�\UPM`PUN�JP[`�HUK�T\ZL\T�

��;OL�VWLU�ÄN\YL��RUV[�PZ�NLVTL[YPJHSS`�the only element that when straightened [YHUZSH[LZ�PU[V��SPULZ��Z`TIVSPZPUN�,SPHZ�Lönnrots’ 11 journeys made throughout is life time collecting the verses of the Kale-vala.

��2HSL]HSH��\YIHU�KLZPNU�HUK�NLVTL[Y`�are linked inviting understanding.

1 23

4

5

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ELEMENT 3 - THE OUTLOOK OF THE PEOPLETHE PARK IS TRANSLATED INTO A LARGE VIEWING TERRACE

// The green of the park is translated into a large public viewing terrace overlooking the harbour.

// Triangular in shape and facing the Senate Square the terrace reminds of the triangular arrangement between the *H[OLKYHS��[OL�KP]PUL��[OL�\UP]LYZP[`��PU[LS-ligence) and the palace (leadership).

// The triangle universally symbolises º0UZWPYH[PVU»��;OL�U\TILY��PZ�[OL�ÄYZ[�sum of the numbers 1+2 and also under-Z[VVK�HZ�[OL�ºTV[OLY»�VM�MVYT��HZ�P[�PZ�[OL�smallest building element of any geomet-ric form.

// The land (park) is translated into archi-tecture and linked to urban design inviting outlook and prosperity for the people.

THE DIVINE

ALEXANDER II SATUEKNOWLEDGE LEADERSHIP


ELEMENT 4 - THE UNIFYING ROOFTHE ROOF INFORMS A NEW URBAN AXIS UNIFYING MUSEUM, PARK AND CITY

��;OL�T\ZL\T�PZ�\UPÄLK�\UKLY�VUL�SHYNL�roof that at the same time informs a new urban design axis to respect the Helsinki Cathedral as well as a key force line that runs through it parallel to the Union Axis.

// The building becomes a unifying shelter similar to the roof of the trees in a forest and at the same time urban design ele-ment providing the Helsinki cathedral with the strong urban design axis it deserves.


ELEMENT 5 - THE SAMPO SPACETHE MEDITATIVE ELEMENT OF THE MUSEUM SYMBOLISING NATURE ITSELF.

// The Sampo is as a large rectangular introverted space in the centre of the T\ZL\T��SLHKPUN�KV^U�[V�[OL�VYPNPUHS�shoreline under the site.

��(Z�H�TLKP[H[P]L�LSLTLU[��Z`TIVSPaPUN�UH[\YL�P[ZLSM��P[�LUJV\YHNLZ�JVUZJPV\ZULZZ�in the geometric meaning of the rectan-gle.

// The mystic layer of the Kalevala and Nature itself is symbolised with a space within a space.


THE UNDERLYING UNIFYINGSIMILAR TO THE KALEVALA THE MUSEUM PATH IS FRAGMENTED BUT INTERLINKED

// Similar to the Kalevala consisting of a ZLYPLZ�VM�PU[LYSVJRPUN�Z[VYPLZ��[OL�T\ZL-um’s path is fragmented into a series of architectural elements.

// An underlying geometrical grid that is linked to the wider geometry of Helsinki \UPÄLZ�[OL�LSLTLU[Z�

// We envisaged the different parts of the museum path to interlink adoptively refer-ring to parts of the Kalevala and the city.

The Rise:;OL�LU[YHUJL�YHTW�[V�[OL��Z[�ÅVVY�VM�[OL�T\ZL\T�

3D

3D

3D

3D

3D

The Cross over:Leading form entrance hall into the museum

The Arch:3LHKPUN�MVYT��Z[�ÅVVY�KV^U�[V�NYV\UK�ÅVVY

The Essence of Elements:;OL�Z^HU�[V^LY��[OL�LU[YHUJL�OHSS�HUK�[OL�ZHTWV

Dualism:The viewing terrace and museum are arranged along one axis

The Link:This is a through to the museums restaurant and cafe.

The Path:The path links the sea side and to of the terrace with the park

VAINAMOINEN cycle 1

LEMNAINKAINEN cycle 1

VAINAMOINEN cycle 2

ILMARINEN’S WEDDING

LEMNAINKAINEN cycle 2

KULLEVRO cycle

ILMARINEN cycle 2

The plunder of the Sampo VAINAMOINEN cycle 3

Louhi’s revenge on Kalevala

MAJRATTA cycle

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// The methodology shown here is to inspire the design of the harbour on a ^PKLY�ZJHSL��LUJV\YHNPUN�M\Y[OLY�YLZLHYJO��and the creating of wider bridges between cultures through understanding.

¸7PLJL�JHU�UV[�IL�RLW[�I`�MVYJL��P[�JHU�only be created through understanding”

Albert Einstein

A SYMBIOSIS OF PLACE & CULTUREA COMPOSITION INHERENTLY REFLECTING A GLOBAL MESSAGE


A SYMBIOSIS OF HELSINKY & THE KALEVALATHE MUSEUM AS A SYMBOL FOR THE ‘UNDERLYING UNIFYING’ BETWEEN CULTURES

// From Helsinki’s harmonic geometry and Finland’s Kalevala a vision emerged for the museum that reveals the ‘underlying \UPM`PUN»�VM�J\S[\YLZ�[OYV\NO�HY[��HYJOP[LJ-ture and urban design.

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210m2

260m2968m2

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A SYMBIOSIS OF HELSINKY & THE KALEVALATHE MUSEUM AS A SYMBOL FOR THE ‘UNDERLYING UNIFYING’ BETWEEN CULTURES

��.YV\UK�ÅVVY�WSHU

01. 03. 04.02.

05. 06. 07. 08.

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HELSINKI HAS THE STRONGEST STORY INHERENT


A STORY THAT CAN INSPIRE ON A GLOBAL SCALE


THE SWAN MUSEUM


A NEW SYMBOL FOR THE HARBOUR


THE SWAN HARBOUR

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