competition: 2008  cooperation with WTS-Architecten

Walking in Helsinki we notice an evolving dynamic and strong energy at the same time. The city has the same sort of easy going-ness as the surrounding landscape, where the islands in the archipelago concentrate in the
surrounding waters. Whether you wander around the classical squares of the19th century city builders Ehrenström and Engel, listen to music in Aalto's Finlandia Hall, or walk the casual slope of the Kiasma museum, everywhere you can feel the relaxed dynamic between intense, energetic places and flowing space.

Glow in the dark energy
Asked to occupy Koivusaaren and incorporate this harbour island in the city,we hesitate. What do you do? Give the island back to the sublime landscape it floats in, restoring its nature and natural beauty or turn it into the next city quarter? We decided to do both: capture the island energy and give it to thecity. Make an island – island! Make all the buildings on Koivusaaren islands in themselves, generating energy that returns to the archipelago. Let everything we change be an energy generator. Make the island glow in the dim Helsinki winters.

Free Koisuvaaren
Before doing so we have to free Koivusaaren. Free it from the crossing highway and detach it from the shores. Put the highway up high on a bridge that will be the new entrance symbol of Helsinki. From high up there even the moving traffic creates a sense of energy. Underneath, out of the embankments of the highway, the Koivusaaren subway station emerges, connecting its passengers directly to the commercial Centre Force zone.
From here automotive traffic, slow traffic and pedestrians are led into the urbanised zones. Although making a new motorway flyover icon will be the optimal solution, other options – like a series of smaller bridges - can be
investigated.