Turku
Museum of History and the Future
Year: 2024
Location: Turku, Finland
Program: Museum, Plaza, Marina and Waterfront Park
Area: Museum: 8,500m2
Visualizations: Indievisual
Positioned at the confluence of tradition and modernity, the Turku Museum of History and the Future - Horisontti - stands as a landmark to the city's evolution. It is conceived as a physical bridge between the industrial Linnanniemi area with the new ferry terminal and the planned park surrounding Turku Castle, leading to the historical city center. The museum's adaptive shape bends to connect with the surrounding landscape, allowing exhibition spaces to open up to panoramic views of the park and the castle.
The museum's main entry hall frames the public plaza, serving as the inviting gateway from the new ferry terminal to the park. It features a harbor basin for small boats, a versatile central area for events and art installations, and a tranquil birch garden, adding a natural character to the vibrant urban environment. Design ensures a visual connection between the museum and its surroundings, setting the stage for a journey through time and cultural exploration. The Green Gallery - an interior promenade with park vegetation - gracefully weaves through the building, contributing to interior climate control and sustainability.
The museum provides an inclusive space for everyone, welcoming individuals interested in culture, community engagement, and social interactions. Embracing diversity in scale and shape, the interior spaces are suitable for both permanent and temporary exhibitions, offering flexibility by blending traditional and innovative media to create a varied and insightful experience for visitors. Committed to ecological principles, the museum employs locally sourced and natural materials, natural ventilation, passive heating/cooling, and precedents for the reuse of disassembled harbor structures. It showcases an exposed wooden framework and embedded green corridors, paying tribute to its dedication to sustainability and harmonious coexistence with nature.
