Minister of Defence Häkkänen approves construction of new multi-purpose building for Army Academy in Lappeenranta

A new multi-purpose building for the Army Academy will be constructed in the Lappeenranta garrison area. The building will gather accommodation, training, library and storage facilities, as well as the maintenance and common facilities supporting them, under one roof.

According to Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen, the project will improve the Army Academy’s operating conditions and enable the long-term development of training and accommodation activities.

“The new modern facilities will support the Defence Forces’ ability to act. They will also ensure that both the personnel and conscripts have access to healthy, safe and suitable facilities. At the same time, the project supports the defence administration’s long-term management of buildings across their life-cycle,” says Minister Häkkänen.

Accommodation at Lappeenranta garrison is currently provided in old barracks and partly in leased facilities outside the garrison area. Demand for accommodation in the area is increasing, and some of the current teaching facilities no longer meet operational requirements.

On 13 August 2026, the Ministerial Finance Committee supported the project proposal put forward by the Ministry of Defence, and Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen decided to launch the project on 14 August 2026.

In addition to providing accommodation for 200 people, the new building will feature six classrooms and the Army Academy library. The library will also offer spaces for photography and the production of learning material. The facilities will be designed to be modern, healthy and safe and to serve operations in the area long into the future. The construction will also enable the gradual renovation of existing accommodation buildings at a later stage without the need for separate temporary facilities.

The project will be implemented in accordance with the Finnish Defence Forces’ concept for work and learning environments. Planning will take account of the space and energy efficiency targets in the central government premises strategy, as well as the requirements for low-carbon construction and life-cycle sustainability.

The new building will have a floor space of approximately 5,500 square metres, and the project’s estimated cost, excluding value added tax, is EUR 17.2 million.

Defence Properties Finland will oversee the construction project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

Inquiries: Antti Vesala, Special Adviser to the Minister of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 099, antti.vesala(at)gov.fi