Museum of History and the Future

“Squāma brings a new and attractive destination to the Linnanniemi area, enlivening the entire city.”

Our office won the international architectural competition organized by the city of Turku for the Museum of History and the Future. The competition sought solutions for a new museum building in the Linnanniemi area of Turku. An impressive over 400 proposals were evaluated in the competition.

“Winning an international museum competition in my hometown of Turku is absolutely fantastic. The competition level was extremely high. Squāma brings a new and attractive destination to the Linnanniemi area, enlivening the entire city. Through architecture, we can create meaningful places for leisure and interaction for visitors and residents, where history and future meet. It is great that the new Museum of History and the Future will be part of Turku’s 800th anniversary celebrations. In these times, it is important to cherish our history while looking towards the future with even greater confidence. These thoughts were the starting point for the design of Squāma.” Pekka Mäki, Architect SAFA

In our competition entry, the various functions of the museum are divided into seven identical, varying-length, gable-roofed building sections. The masses are clad with a scale-like exterior, which inspired the name of the work, Squāma, meaning scale. The design language derived from the former warehouse and boathouse buildings of the harbor skillfully incorporates the history of the area into modern architecture.

The entrance to the museum is located on the side of Turku Castle at the end of Satamakatu. Visitors arrive at the museum through a square and a glass-fronted main entrance, which offers a direct view of the sea. The positioning of the ends of the different sections forms sheltered corners for the use of visitors and city residents. The museum’s functions, such as exhibition spaces, public areas, an auditorium, and a café-restaurant, are arranged along the same long indoor street.

The Museum of History and the Future is intended to be completed in honor of Turku’s 800th anniversary in 2029. The museum will open to the public at the end of the following year.