The winner of Finlandia Prize 2018
Kuvakaruselli
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Tuomas Uusheimo
Information
Architectural design
SARC Architects & Architectgroup Reino Koivula: Antti-Matti Siikala (SARC), Sarlotta Narjus (SARC), Sakari Forsman (SARC), Susanna Kalkkinen (ARRK), Nina Tallberg (SARC), Riitta Pikkuhookana (ARRK), Mika Avela (ARRK), Anita Kiiveri (SARC), Tiina Torna Sandblom (SARC), Tuulikki Raivio (SARC), Román Cisneros Belenguer (SARC), Pi von Pfaler (SARC), Markus Kuusela (ARRK), Petri Oksanen (ARRK), Mikko Sinervo (ARRK), Emilia Åman (SARC), Erno Honkonen (SARC), Pasi Hämäläinen (SARC), Anne Tervasmaa (SARC) & Krister Andersson (ARRK)
Client
Säätiö Uuden Lastensairaalan Tuki
Main contractor
SRV Rakennus
Location
Helsinki, Finland
Programme
47 777 m²
Year of completion
2018
In short
As a process, the construction of the New Paediatric Hospital of the Helsinki Hospital District is an impressive example of how modern civic society can serve as a powerful initiator and implementing force in projects that are of great importance to society. At the same time, it shows how architecture can help attain jointly established goals and add lasting value to the human environment in a way that contributes to the daily lives of people, while reflecting the values inherent to the welfare society.
Tuomas Uusheimo
Statement of the pre-selection jury
As a process, the construction of the New Paediatric Hospital of the Helsinki Hospital District is an impressive example of how modern civic society can serve as a powerful initiator and implementing force in projects that are of great importance to society. At the same time, it shows how architecture can help attain jointly established goals and add lasting value to the human environment in a way that contributes to the daily lives of people, while reflecting the values inherent to the welfare society.
Unlike traditional hospitals, the New Paediatric Hospital designed by SARC Architects focuses on creating a pleasant environment for the child patients and their parents and ensures a smooth daily existence in often difficult circumstances. Gently, unobtrusively and without undue emphasis, the building effectively supports all key hospital processes while contributing to ways of working that promote general wellbeing. Despite the large size of the New Paediatric Hospital, its architecture underlines transparency, a close contact with the environment and due consideration for children as a special patient category. In terms of scale, the building is skilfully fitted into a complex setting while the colour scheme, both inside and outside, is both bold and positive.
The New Paediatric Hospital highlights the potential offered by architecture when genuine efforts are made to humanise traditional institutions and bring them closer to people, so as to make every individual service experience as positive as possible.
The finalists of 2018
The finalists for the Finlandia Prize for Architecture 2018 were Amos Rex Art Museum, Lallukka Artists’ Home, Think Corner, Tuupala Wooden School and the New Children’s Hospital.
