Like Wile E. Coyote catching the Roadrunner or the Buffalo Bills winning a Super Bowl, some things are just not meant to be. Now, it seems as though construction of the Guggenheim Helsinki can be added to that list.
The idea for the museum has been divisive among Finnish citizens since it was first proposed in 2012, Curbed reports. Some believed it was a waste of money while others thought it would become a tourist destination and an economic draw. But that argument between the two sides was officially put to rest recently as the Finnish government ruled out state funding for the project.
The museum was expected to cost between $134 and $156 million to build with the government covering about $45 million of the total. With about one-third of the project's funds being eliminated in one fell swoop, the museum's chances at ever being constructed are slim. The Guggenheim Foundation has not given up hope yet, however, as it is attempting to find another way to get the money necessary for construction.
They don’t have long to figure it out, though, as the museum’s reservation for the planned 18,520-sm harborfront site will expire at the end of this year.
The current, and possibly doomed, design for the Guggenheim Helsinki comes from Moreau Kusunoki Architects, a Paris-based firm that won a competition of over 1,715 submissions for the opportunity to design the building.
Rendering courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki Architects via DesignGuggenheimHelsinki.org
Rendering courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki Architects via DesignGuggenheimHelsinki.org
Image courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki Architects via DesignGuggenheimHelsinki.org
Related Stories
Museums | Jul 20, 2021
ANOHA — The Children’s World of the Jewish Museum Berlin opens
Olson Kundig designed the project.
Museums | Jul 12, 2021
The world’s largest astronomy museum completes in Shanghai
Ennead Architects designed the project.
Museums | Jul 1, 2021
New-York Historical Society Museum & Library expands Central Park West location
Robert A.M. Stern Architects designed the project.
![Oceanographer John Englander talks resiliency and buildings [new on HorizonTV]](/sites/default/files/styles/list_big/public/Oceanographer%20John%20Englander%20Talks%20Resiliency%20and%20Buildings%20YT%20new_0.jpg?itok=enJ1TWJ8 "Oceanographer John Englander talks resiliency and buildings [new on HorizonTV]")
Resiliency | Jun 24, 2021
Oceanographer John Englander talks resiliency and buildings [new on HorizonTV]
New on HorizonTV, oceanographer John Englander discusses his latest book, which warns that, regardless of resilience efforts, sea levels will rise by meters in the coming decades. Adaptation, he says, is the key to future building design and construction.
Museums | Jun 22, 2021
Cleveland’s Natural History museum to break ground on new Exhibit Hall
The added space will organize its artifacts and specimens to show humanity’s connection to science, the planet, and the universe.
Digital Twin | May 24, 2021
Digital twin’s value propositions for the built environment, explained
Ernst & Young’s white paper makes its cases for the technology’s myriad benefits.
Museums | May 19, 2021
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opens after $25 million renovation
CambridgeSeven designed the project.
Wood | May 14, 2021
What's next for mass timber design?
An architect who has worked on some of the nation's largest and most significant mass timber construction projects shares his thoughts on the latest design trends and innovations in mass timber.
Education Facilities | May 3, 2021
Khor Kalba Turtle and Wildlife Sanctuary completes in the United Arab Emirates
Hopkins Architects designed the project.
Museums | Apr 27, 2021
GWWO Architects unveils design of the new Niagara Falls Visitor Center
The project will replace the current outdated and cramped facility.
