Foster + Partners, Skanska, Ramboll in running for revitalisation of Helsinki harbour

Eleven teams have been shortlisted by the city of Helsinki for the redevelopment of the Makasiiniranta area on the city’s south harbour.

Makasiiniranta’s pedestrian city centre and the seaside trail around the shore will be expanded as part of the project, which also includes a home for an Architecture and Design Museum.

The shortlist includes:

• Foster + Partners, Maanlumo and Ramboll with Hines Nordics
• HGR Property Partners, PES-Architects, VSU, A-insinöörit
• Konsortium Gran, K2S Architecs, White Arkitekter, Ramboll, HTJ  
• Merellinen Helsinki 2030, JKMM, Loci, Ramboll  
• NCC, Arkkitehdit Soini & Horto, AOR Arkkitehdit, MASU Planning, Destia, Ramboll Finland and  Salsa Concept
• Skanska Talonrakennus, Arkkitehtitoimisto ALA, SLA S/A, Sitowise  
• NREP, SRV, Anttinen Oiva Arkkitehdit, Nomaji maisema-arkkitehdit, Sitowise

Four more groups are also listed "on a conditional basis":

• Aalto Development, Shigeru Ban Architects, LMA, VSU, Sitowise
• Elävä Eteläsatama, Arkkitehdit Tommila, A-insinöörit, VSU
• KuryÅ‚owicz & Associates, Hill International, RS Landscape Architecture, CTD
• Maestro Design & Management, arkitektur+ development, Sweco Arkitekter, Rolf Lundgren

Mikko Aho, the city of Helsinki’s head of urban environment, said: "We are pleased that the competition has attracted so much interest. The participating consortia are very knowledgeable and I believe we will receive high quality and diverse competition proposals.

"The location is a valuable business card for Helsinki, so our expectations regarding the quality of public space, for example, are very high."

Competitors are due to submit an overall plan by the end of 2021, with a winner to be announced in the first quarter of 2022.

Image: Helsinki (Scanrail/Dreamstime)