Studio Rose Architects is a UK design and architecture studio based in East London.
Studio Rose Architects is a UK design and architecture studio based in East London.
Next Helsinki, Finland
Year: 2015
Shortlisted entry and pulished in acompanying book UR:NextHelsinki by Michael Sorkin
The project proposes the utilisation of overflow knowledge resources from Helsinki’s many library and design institutions as a catalyst for grass-roots innovation, utilising Minkkinen’s metaphor as community-led innovation.
Rafael Minkkinen’s metaphor for creative development is a blueprint for innovation. His metaphor of the Helsinki bus station, with its’ radial bus routes, talks of an artists strive to find their own voice. Minkkinen’s metaphor can become a programmatic and urban driver for innovation hubs in Helsinki, providing the opportunity and resources to innovate, across the city.
The Museum of Finnish Architecture and Design Museum have been looking to modernise and expand, with their ever expanding collections and aspirations. A decentralisation of their overflow knowledge resources into ‘innovation stops’ could meet these requirements whilst making these resources more accessible for the public.
Within the existing Urban fabric, a decentralised infiltration of the Helsinki’s forgotten spaces would provide a community driven and community led agenda to each ‘innovation stop’. The interventions will follow basic programmatic rules, but the agenda and architecture will be unique. Each stop will benefit the communities around either supporting established creative communities or creating new. The programme is intentionally ambiguous to encourage interpretation. The basic programmatic principles are that of event, workshop and archive.
The top down ‘Bilbao effect’ is a proven model for the transformation of a struggling post-industrial city requiring a fresh vision. However, Helsinki is a thriving creative city, the Disneyfication of the East terminal would be a square peg in a round hole.
The bottom up approach of decentralising knowledge resources into community led ‘innovation stops’, would encourage the unique creativity of Helsinki’s people and strengthen the ‘Finnish Brand’. Providing opportunity and inspiration at a community level, would encourage creativity to the everyday. Within such frameworks, architecture has the potential to facilitate innovation, not as mere representation, but as a catalyst of change.