The winning design proposal for Helsinki's Makasiiniranta waterfront area aims to revitalize the area

The jury for the Makasiiniranta harborfront area redevelopment in Helsinki, Finland has announced Konsortium Gran as the winner of the first prize and an award of €100,000 (USD 104,000). The team, which is made up of designers from Niam, K2S Architects, White Arkitekter, Ramboll Finland, and Rakennuttajatoimisto HTJ Oy, was selected out of the four finalists who had submitted proposals for the project.

Their project, titled Saaret ('The Islands'), promises "an interconnection of flexible built spaces, dynamic public gathering points, and urban nature, with views across to the city, the Uspenski Cathedral, and waterfront."

 

"The realization of Saaret will create an intersection of cultural and sustainable environments that aim to improve the area’s microclimate and create bio-diverse habitats with rooftops featuring beehives, vegetable and herb gardens forming an important part of the design," explains the design team.

This year's jury was impressed by the proposal's inclusion of "the ingenious urban morphology of city sightlines, the respectful treatment addressing both historical values and cultural environment of the area, and the creation of a new unique layer to the national landscape."

 

Mikko Summanen, partner at K2S Architects, was overjoyed at their win, commenting: "It's an honor to be able to write a new narrative for such a vital part of the national landscape in Helsinki. I believe Makasiiniranta has the potential to do far more than just leave its footprint - it has the potential to revitalize the whole of downtown Helsinki."

 

Boardwalk by AALTO Development and Makasiinipromenadi by South Harbour group is the second prize winners and will receive €70,000. The third prize-winning team Ahti by Elävä Eteläsatama will take home €40,000.