textured glass skin forms into curved roof for cossement cardoso’s helsinki museum concept

Cossement Cardoso Proposes Glass-Layered Museum Design

Cossement Cardoso wins second prize in the international competition for the new Architecture and Design Museum along Helsinki’s historic South Harbour. JKMM Architects designed the winning proposal among 624 entries (find designboom’s previous coverage here), including Luca Poian Forms’ Väkkärä concept. Cossement Cardoso’s design emerges as a dialogue between nature, history, and urban transformation. Set within a layered context shaped by centuries of maritime and urban activity, the building both respects and reinterprets its surroundings.

Drawing inspiration from the Finnish landscape and architectural heritage, from birch forests to crystalline ice formations, the museum blends organic forms with geometric precision, creating softly curved facades that invite exploration from all angles. Evolving from an initial solid concrete mass into a translucent fortress of textured glass, the project balances protection and openness. The glass facades filter light while preserving a sense of security, transforming the museum into a cultural beacon at the threshold between land and sea. The undulating roof, reminiscent of billowing sails, resonates with Helsinki’s skyline, offering a subtle but distinctive landmark that bridges the city’s past and future.

all visuals by Imagens do Bernardo

Textured Glass and Curved Roof Define Helsinki Museum

The materiality of the building, chosen by the architectural team at Cossement Cardoso, reflects an experimental and sustainable approach. Recycled glass is heated and poured into wooden molds, where the interaction of molten glass and charred timber creates unique textured panels. This process embeds traces of the landscape and craft into the façade, while the repurposed timber enhances the interior’s warmth and tactile quality. The calibrated variation between textured and smooth glass provides visual permeability where needed, balancing enclosure and openness throughout the building.

Ultimately, the project is a holistic response to context, culture, and craft. It merges architecture and design, material experimentation, and sustainability, offering a contemporary interpretation of Finnish heritage. The result is a building that is at once protective and inviting, sculptural yet permeable, rooted in memory while embracing light, transparency, and the ever-changing relationship between land, sea, and city.

the project responds to Helsinki’s layered history and maritime context

organic forms merge with geometric precision in the museum’s design

an undulating roof recalls the movement of billowing sails

repurposed timber enriches the museum’s warm interiors

smooth and textured glass alternate to control transparency

sustainable processes underpin the design’s material choices

the architecture reflects Finnish landscapes and traditions

a sculptural yet permeable landmark anchors Helsinki’s South Harbour

models | image by Cossement Cardoso

conceptual model | image by Cossement Cardoso

casted epoxy model | image by Cossement Cardoso

project info:

name: Museum of Architecture and Design | @admuseo

architects: Cossement Cardoso | @cossement_cardoso

location: South Harbour, Helsinki, Finland

visuals: Imagens do Bernardo | @imagens_do_bernardo

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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