Kiasma (built 1993–1998) is a contemporary art museum located along Mannerheimintie in Helsinki, Finland. It is named after the Greek letter "chi" and on the word for "crossing" based on it alluding to the basic conceptual idea of its architect, Steen Holl. The musuem exhibits the contemporary art collection of the Finnish National Gallery founded in 1990. Its central goal is to make contemporary art better known and strengthen its status.

An architectural design competition to design a contemporary arts museum in Helsinki was held in 1992. The competition was meant for architects from the Nordic and Baltic countries. Five internationally renowned architects participated among whom there was only one US citizen. In 1993 the work Chiasma by the American architect Steven Holl was selected from the 516 parttakers. The construction of the disputed and controversial Kiasma was started in 1996. It was opened in 1998.

Before and during the construction work plenty of discussion was going on, firstly about the anonymity of the winner but then mostly about Kiasma's location between the equestrian statue of C. G. E. Mannerheim and the main post office; the place was criticized for being too narrow and inappropriate. The museum was claimed to spoil the surroundings and background of the statue of a man whom many Finns regard as a national hero. Also the selection of an American architect instead of one of the Finnish modernists provoked conflicting reactions. A small-scale protest movement rose to object the construction of the museum, gaining steam as it was found that the materials used for the roof were unsuited to northern latitudes extremes of weather, and leaks through the seams of the metal were discovered, people gleefully pointing out the results of going far afield for the design. About 20 000 signatures were collected in protest against the controversial new building. However, its inauguration proved to be an undisputed success and several years afterwards the controversy has largely quieted down, especially as the building is now flanked by other modernist buildings, considered by some even uglier in comparison.

[Source: Wikipedia]

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