Cembrit - winner of the international architectural competition Bullhorn

Kick-off and course of the competition
At the beginning of October, Cembrit a.s. organized an international architectural competition titled Bullhorn. The task for architects and designers was to develop a conceptual architectural design for the Malmi Station in Helsinki. A total of 97 architects and designers from around the world participated, competing for international publicity and interesting cash prizes.

Announcement of the winners
The jury was most impressed by the design of the Swedish duo of architects Selime Osman and Ilyas Awadh, who thus won the first prize worth 10,000 Euros. Their design “Papilio” captivated due to its poetic representation of the entire complex and the unconventional use of fiber cement in a lively design with numerous butterflies in motion. The three winning prototypes are now part of the Bullhorn-Cembrit Design Competition exhibition in Helsinki.

1st place - “Papilio” impressed the jury primarily with the use of the potential of fiber cement in an unconventional butterfly-inspired motif.

Architects Selime Osman and Ilyas Awadh drew their inspiration for the design from a swarm of fluttering butterflies. They were able to enrich the fiber cement material with a third dimension through the use of modular fiber cement butterflies. The basic element for their creation is triangles made from facade panels.
Using this simple organic form and vibrant colors, they succeeded in bringing a fresh breeze into the monotonous environment of the transit station. The jury also appreciated the potential for further use and development that the entire design holds.

The second place in the competition and a prize of €7,500 was awarded to the design “Malmi waffles” by Swedish architect Arklab Sthlmolma. The design reveals further possibilities for the use of corrugated fiber cement panels, which have been used for over 100 years as roofing for large hall buildings and apartment houses. Using these panels, a very dynamic building was created that changes its appearance simultaneously with the change of the angle of view or position of the observer. From the side view, the waves of the panels transform into ornaments with very interesting reflections. In a direct view, the contours disappear into the structure of the entire complex.

3rd place - “MDSURP” discovers the charm of repetition

The design “MDSURP” by Russian architects Maxim Beatev and Anna Suprunova points to the movement and variability of the entire transit space. The design resembles seagulls, clouds, or flights. In the modular system, fiber cement facade panels were used in accordance with the jury's requirements. Particularly, their clean and clear design makes them well-suited for repeated use in tackling such an extensive project as this one.

Cembrit a.s. thanks all those who participated in the competition in any way and contributed to the very high quality of the contest with their designs.
“Selecting the best three solutions was not an easy task,” says jury member Mr. EsaRuskeepaa, Architect, ERA. “The quality of the submitted designs was very high, and we saw many very interesting solutions for this location.” After two days, the jury chose the best 15 designs, from which three were selected for further development of prototypes. These were assessed again just one day before the final ceremony at the manufacturing facility in Finland. “When we saw the main elements of the winning designs at a 1:1 scale, we were finally able to fully appreciate the use of fiber cement material.”