Name
Aviapolis High School and the Finnish Aviation Museum
Description
Reference design
Client
City of Vantaa
Year
2023
Size br-m²
8 600 br-m2 high school and 6 200 br-m2 museum
The reference designs for Aviapolis High School and the Finnish Aviation Museum, commissioned by the City of Vantaa, form the basis for the area’s future town plan. The project, done in collaboration with Loci Maisema-arkkitehdit , also includes the design of the park in the planning area.
The block, comprising the museum and the high school, is integrated into the planned urban structure of Aviapolis central area, following the principles set out in Vantaa’s 2022 design guidelines. The urban design goal is to create a pedestrian-friendly central area along Aviabulevardi, where culture, art, experiences, and history intersect. Together, the high school and museum are set to become an attractive public centerpiece in the burgeoning heart of Aviapolis.
Situated at the intersection of Aviabulevardi and Karhumäenportti, the museum is a public building central to the area’s identity. A covered entrance plaza, complemented by a continuous stone pavement, integrates the museum, Tiiranpuisto park, and Aviapolis X pavilion into a unified urban space. The museum’s façade serves as a backdrop for events extending into Tiiranpuisto park. The school building asserts its presence within the dense block structure, distinguished by its unique coordinate alignment.
The varied heights and orientations of the buildings accommodate the functional needs. In the architecture and material choices, emphasis has been placed on highlighting the independent character of each building. The museum is primarily constructed of metal and glass, referring to the world of aviation. The high school’s material selections are rooted in the tones of the local bedrock. The choice of materials aims to accentuate the unique features of each building through architectural variation, while maintaining a sense of unity and balance in the block.
Finally, the layout has been strategically designed so that the lobbies of the two buildings along Aviabulevard can be connected by a small extension, allowing the synergies between the high school and the museum to be unlocked and enhanced.