TAMPERE, FINLAND-- May 20, 2021 -- The competition entry Lumen Valo has won the international architectural competition for the new Sara Hildén Art Museum building in Tampere, Finland. The winning entry was designed by architect Janne Hovi. The new art museum will be located in the former industrial milieu at the city centre.

Competition entry Lumen Valo takes into account, by simple means, both the values related to the history of the Finlayson area and the starting points of the surrounding area and the requirements of the art, says the chair of the jury, Deputy Mayor Jaakko Stenhäll.
A total of 472 entries were approved for the competition, which is among the highest in the history of Finnish architectural competitions.

According to the jury, aesthetics that fit the spirit of the Finlayson industrial area and Sara Hildén Art Museum is captured in the subtle design of the winning competition entry Lumen Valo. In its matter-of-factness, it relates to the historical architecture of the construction site.

According to the jury, the winning competition entry continues the tradition of the area, where buildings have been built based on the needs of their purpose. The overall shape has been derived from the exhibition facilities. In this, the winning competition entry truly stands out from among the rest.

The other entries that ranked in the competition are Obscura by Heljä Nieminen and Havu Järvelä and Mezzo by Arkkitehdit Rudanko + Kankkunen Oy that came in shared third place. Entries XXX (Arquitectos Ayala S.L.P.) and A sculpture in the park (ALL - atelier lorentzen langkilde) were purchased. In addition, ten entries were given an honorary mention.

The competition aimed to create an architecturally distinctive building that would take account of the values of its environment, create a framework for art, and support the identity and character of the Sara Hildén Art Museum.

The competition was organised by Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company, Sara Hildén Foundation, and the City of Tampere in cooperation with the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA).