11 design teams selected to participate in international competition to develop Helsinki's South Harbor

The City of Helsinki has launched a competition to find a partner for the redevelopment of Makasiiniranta at the South Harbor, the last old harbor area to be transformed for public use in Helsinki. The groups approved for the competition have been selected, whose entries will be submitted and displayed later this year.

Makasiiniranta at South Harbor is a part of the Helsinki National Landscape and a nationally significant cultural environment. The objective of the competition is to develop the area as part of the expanding pedestrian city center, including the creation of a seaside trail and an architecture and design museum complex. A key aim of the competition is to produce an overall land use plan of high quality and functionality that implements the city’s objectives in these areas regarding urban space. 

The two-phase competition is intended for both Finnish and international teams in the construction, architecture, and real estate industry. Following an initial period for participant enrollment, 11 groups met the competitor eligibility requirements and will vye for the development reservation to further plan the project. 

“We are pleased that the competition has attracted so much interest,” says Mikko Aho, Head of the City of Helsinki Urban Environment Division. “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.”

By the end of the year, teams are expected to submit an overall plan of the development. In December, the proposals will be put on public display and people will be able to comment and share feedback on the work. A multidisciplinary jury of government representatives and design experts will select entries to progress in the competition in the spring of 2022. Four teams will advance to the second phase to prepare a full project master plan by June 2022. The winning project will be announced in the fall of 2022. 

The design groups accepted into the competition are as follows: 

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

The following parties were accepted into the competition on a conditional basis (the applications require specifications):

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