MFA Friday Clip: Finnish Architecture - Review 2020: Amos Rex and Lasipalatsi Restoration

MFA Friday Clip series presents videos of the latest biennial review projects. This week theme: Amos Rex and Lasipalatsi Restoration by JKMM Architects
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AMOS REX AND LASIPALATSI RESTORATION Helsinki, Finland, 2018
JKMM Architects
Buildings that are meant to be temporary sometimes become permanent. This happened to Lasi- palatsi, completed in 1936, where the Konstsamfundet association has constructed new exhibition facilities for its art museum. The construction of these underground facilities and their connection to the protected commercial building have been great challenges, but JKMM Architects succeeded excellently in the task. The impressive column-free series of spaces with an arched roof form has been created with the help of adjacent domes of reinforced concrete. The ceilings of the exhibition halls are covered by a raster-like pattern that consists of hundreds of round sequins. The two other exhibition halls are conventional, rectangular spaces.
The underground exhibition facilities are also present in the urban space. The domes rise up from the surface of the Lasipalatsin aukio Square. The previous flat asphalt square has been transformed into a lively area in the middle of which stands the central heating chimney, converted into an exhaust duct.
The Lasipalatsi facilities have been restored to the extent necessary, adding new technology to them in a discreet way. Bio Rex, the traditional cinema serving as the museum’s event venue, has lent its name for the museum, now called Amos Rex. The museum and the cinema share an en- trance. By combining the commercial spaces next to the entrance, a space for the museum shop has been created. There are new stairs leading from the shop to the exhibition facilities under- ground. The new lobby receives light from two skylights and from a lighting fixture consisting of dozens of curls of fabric.
When the museum was opened, people queued on the street to buy a ticket. Some of its popularity is certainly due to the new, distinct architecture and its subtle connection to the carefully restored functionalistic building.
Text: Harri Hautajärvi / Jury 2020
Video: Jonni Roos, Raimo Uunila
Camera: Raimo Uunila, Atte Henriksson
Editing: Raimo Uunila, Camilla Siren
Editor: Jonni Roos
Production: Uuden Avaaja, Grape Prodictions
Subtitles: Museum of Finnish Architecture
Translation: Translatinki Oy
The Finnish Architecture. Biennial Review 2020 exhibition is open until February 28, 2021 in Museum of Finnish Architecture, Helsinki.
In cooperation with Alvar Aalto Foundation and the Finnish Association of Architects, SAFA.

[@vickyzhouinfinland5838]

Impressive!