PES-Architects and Lapti selected as partners for the New Aviation Museum

PES-Architects together with construction company Lapti have been selected as partners for the implementation of the New Aviation Museum in Vantaa’s Aviapolis district in Finland. The Finnish Aviation Museum Foundation and Lapti signed the development phase agreement on 9 October 2025, allowing planning to progress toward a building permit and construction.

During the development phase, the museum design will be refined in close collaboration with the museum staff, construction experts, Lapti as contractor, PES-Architects and technical designers. The aim is to submit a building permit application by the end of the development phase in early 2026.

Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026, and the museum is set to open at the turn of 2027–2028. The board of the Finnish Aviation Museum Foundation will decide on the final construction investment at the end of the development phase.

The construction project will be carried out under a collaborative design and build contract where PES-Architects is the principal and architectural designer, while Lapti is responsible for the planning, permit process and construction of the museum. A-Insinöörit will act as the project construction consultant.

An inspiring new museum centre

The Finnish Aviation Museum is a national museum responsible for preserving and exhibiting the history of Finnish aviation. The new, approximately 7,000 sqm museum centre aims to attract over 100,000 visitors a year.

The modern exhibition spaces of the New Aviation Museum will provide versatile opportunities to showcase the history and future of aviation. Together with events, services and adaptable facilities, the centre will always offer something new to experience. The living room-like lobby, housing a café, museum shop and pop-up spaces, forms the heart of the museum, bringing together different user groups in a local living room.

The museum building not only showcases the world of aviation but also embodies it in its structure and architectural expression. The building's facades feature ascending and descending forms echoing the movements of aircraft. The materials used in the facade, such as aluminium, glass and wood, evoke the aircraft that soar through the skies, both past and future.

The New Aviation Museum will replace the existing Aviation Museum on the adjacent plot in Vantaa’s Aviapolis district near Helsinki Airport. The building will connect via a passageway to the Aviapolis High School to be built on the same plot.

“What was exceptional in this competition was the interaction with both the client and construction company already during the competition process. We were able to integrate considerations related to functionality, cost and constructability with our architectural goals. We’re very happy with how the building’s concept and architectural expression support the experiences and stories offered by the museum,” says the building's chief designer, Tuomas Silvennoinen from PES-Architects.