Museum of Contemporary Art, Kiasma, Helsinki

“Outdoor illumination and city beautification must contribute to the environment – not compete with it. It must blend with the environment while still retaining its own identity. That’s why I drew my inspiration for this new luminaire design from the tree form,” says Professor of Architecture Juhani Pallasmaa.
“Trees are natural elements in any landscape – psychologically they ‘belong.’ But with the repeated, straight-line formation of these specially designed luminaires, they also stand out.” Fur ther ‘natural’ integration into the landscape is provided by the roundshape of the reflectors, which look like miniature moons. The shape of the reflectors also creates a rounded light distribution, and the consequent ‘moonshine’ effect helps cultivate a soft, intimate atmosphere. Pallasmaa’s buildings and designs are a canvas of architecture that appeals to all the senses.

Building harmony

The brief for this project was simple but challenging. The goal was to emphasise the spirit of this modern city centre and create harmony among the various buildings that form the area between Sanomatalo and Töölönlahti – all the while maintaining the individuality of each building. Architect Juhani Pallasmaa’s solution was, in part, to create a series of unique and distinctive luminaires that use reflected light. These luminaires provide the ‘common thread’ that integrates the area. Also, from the earliest stages of the project, Pallasmaa decided that the brightness of the reflecting surface of each luminaire should not exceed that of the moon. The idea behind this concept was to ensure that the reflected light is discreet yet functional. The lighting design was by Professor Julle Oksanen, who ‘translated‘ this vision into reality. The result is a soft intimate atmosphere produced by ‘moonshine.’