An aerofoil is any surface or shape that provides aerodynamic force when it interacts with a moving stream of air. The project builds on the maritime history of Linnanniemi, reimagined through new materials supporting sustainable development, for a museum defined by openness, collaboration, and new forms of knowledge production.
The new museum is positioned on the plot as several streamlined bodies merged through a continuous ground floor where the lobby, blending outdoor and indoor spaces through extensive ramps, becomes the open public axis of the museum. Defined by a voluptuous wooden body, like the hull of a ship, the lobby weaves through the several facilities of the museum programme focused on cooperation, public engagement, culture and leisure. This wooden hull is pierced through with two large internal voids that establish connections from the lobby to the auditorium and the main exhibition space, the two larger volumes of the museum programme placed in a lifted position.
If the interior of the museum is defined by the lobby as a hull, its exterior is wrapped in translucent shimmering sails that not only provide shading, but first and foremost, generate electricity. The sails are made from low carbon impact, recyclable organic photovoltaic film woven on tensioned cables that are able to operate even in low light intensity. Combined with photovoltaics placed additionally on top of the technical spaces of the building, these two sources will significantly contribute to the sustainable energy usage of the museum.
