A wide interior view captures the hangar as a single, uninterrupted volume, where a polished light aircraft rests beneath exposed steel trusses and corrugated metal roofing. Linear LED fixtures trace the structure overhead, casting even, shadow-controlled light that emphasises scale, symmetry, and the rigour of the industrial envelope.

Aviation Discipline Meets Design Precision at +kouple's AEROTIM Hangar

Words by Yatzer

Ukraine

Aircraft hangars are not typically associated with design ambition. Defined by necessity rather than nuance, they tend to privilege function over atmosphere, and efficiency over creativity. The AEROTIM Hangar in Ukraine quietly unsettles this assumption. Designed by Dan Vakhrameyev, co-founder of Ukrainian studio +kouple, as a combined aircraft maintenance facility and communal base for an elite aviation crew, the hangar translates the rigour of aviation into an uncompromising industrial language that is raw, exacting, and unexpectedly refined.

Co-founder of design studio pluskouple, Dan Vakhrameyev, stands within the hangar’s vast interior, framed by muted concrete surfaces and filtered daylight. Arms crossed, posture composed, the human presence introduces scale and intent, underscoring the project’s balance between architectural rigor, lived experience, and disciplined creative authorship.

Dan Vakhrameyev, co-founder of +kouple. Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

The aircraft propeller slices into the foreground, juxtaposed with modular seating and wall-mounted technical drawings. Above, a glazed mezzanine marks the crew station, while the orderly layering of functions—flight, briefing, pause—demonstrates how the hangar seamlessly blends operation with spatial clarity.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

The hangar’s exterior reads as a precise industrial composition: a full-width, vertically lifting zinc-clad gate set within rough concrete walls, topped by a polycarbonate band. A light aircraft and a crew member crossing the forecourt animate the scale, reinforcing the project’s seamless relationship between architecture, movement, and flight.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

Founded by aerobatic pilot Timur Fatkullin, AEROTIM is a multidisciplinary collective of young athletes and creatives honing their skills across aerobatics, freestyle motocross, and skydiving. Beyond aviation, Fatkullin has explored parallel creative territories, including the production of a feature film dedicated to Ukraine’s Army Aviation and the development of a men’s jewellery line in collaboration with designer and fellow pilot Valeria Guzema. So, when he approached +kouple with the idea of a dedicated hangar, it was with a mindset shaped as much by design culture as by flight discipline.

This mindset is also reflected in the studio’s approach, which Vakhrameyev describes as “deliberately restrained.” Informed by +kouple’s minimalist design ethos, the scheme filters a starkly utilitarian programme through a contemporary architectural lens, shaped by exposed surfaces, honest materials, and precise detailing with the aim of creating a disciplined working environment.

The hangar’s exterior reads as a rigorous industrial composition: vertically ribbed metal cladding set between raw concrete retaining walls, topped by a continuous polycarbonate band that reveals the steel truss structure within. The restrained palette and symmetry foreground function, proportion, and construction logic.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • Seen head-on, the aircraft aligns precisely with the hangar’s structural grid, reinforcing the project’s obsession with order and balance. Reflections ripple across the metallic fuselage, mirroring the exposed trusses and linear lighting above, while the pale concrete floor amplifies the sense of spatial clarity and control.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A narrow pedestrian door punctures the zinc-clad façade, offering a tightly framed glimpse into the illuminated hangar beyond. The contrast between the opaque exterior skin and the luminous interior underscores the building’s utilitarian restraint and its carefully choreographed thresholds between outside and in.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A wide interior view captures the hangar as a single, uninterrupted volume, where a polished light aircraft rests beneath exposed steel trusses and corrugated metal roofing. Linear LED fixtures trace the structure overhead, casting even, shadow-controlled light that emphasises scale, symmetry, and the rigour of the industrial envelope.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A moment of human interaction animates the hangar floor as crew members sit casually on the aircraft’s wing, blurring boundaries between work, rest, and camaraderie. The polished fuselage reflects the linear lighting above, reinforcing the project’s seamless integration of aviation culture and architectural discipline.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

Unfolding as a vast, uninterrupted volume, the main hangar is defined by its exposed roof structure: think steel trusses, corrugated metal roofing, and visible air ducts which establish a spatial rhythm rooted in constructional clarity. A full-width, vertically-lifting entrance gate clad in raw zinc sheets reinforces the hangar’s industrial logic, while a polycarbonate upper section draws daylight deep into the space. Walls are clad in large-format cement-bonded particle boards, their visible joints referencing aircraft fuselage fastening techniques. The same cement-bonded panels are reused to fabricate doors, worktables, shelving, and storage elements, ensuring for visual coherence while supporting long-term maintenance.

Large-format photographic banners are recessed directly into the wall construction and softly backlit, introducing imagery that reflects AEROTIM’s culture, discipline, and aspirations. Elsewhere, wall-mounted glass boards support daily workflows, facilitating planning, technical notes, and crew coordination without hindering or interrupting the visual order of the space.

Sunlight washes across the hangar floor, illuminating the polished aircraft nose beneath a grid of steel trusses. Tall photographic banners embedded into the wall add a restrained narrative layer, while long shadows emphasise scale, stillness, and the ceremonial presence of the aircraft.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A close-up detail captures the hangar’s structural honesty, where a white-painted steel beam meets cement-bonded wall panels with exposed bolts and junction plates. Technical markings printed directly onto the beam reinforce the aviation-inspired logic, turning load data and construction references into an integral part of the interior’s visual language.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • Wayfinding becomes architecture in this wall section, where understated graphics label the crew station and wardrobe. Cement-bonded panels, exposed fasteners, and a glazed door establish a disciplined visual language, translating aviation clarity into an intuitive, legible interior environment.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A narrow stair rises between raw cement walls, softly illuminated by recessed step lighting. The compressed, almost tunnel-like ascent contrasts with the openness of the hangar beyond, heightening the spatial sequence and reinforcing the project’s choreography between movement, pause, and transition.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

Looking upward, exposed ventilation ducts and white-painted steel trusses form a symmetrical composition against corrugated metal roofing. Circular air diffusers punctuate the linear structure, revealing how environmental systems are deliberately foregrounded, becoming an integral part of the hangar’s architectural expression.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

Wayfinding and operational graphics are applied directly onto cement-bonded wall panels, where exposed fixings and subtle surface wear remain visible. A crew member entering the station activates the scene, illustrating how movement, signage, and architecture are integrated into a clear, functional spatial language.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A round briefing table anchors the crew station, framed by vintage red-brown leather cantilever chairs and exposed steel trusses overhead. Cement-bonded wall panels, visible fixings, and linear lighting reinforce the hangar’s disciplined industrial language, while glass partitions maintain uninterrupted visual continuity with adjacent operational zones.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

Defined by a continuous frameless glass façade, the second-level crew station offers an elevated vantage point from which the entire hangar can be read in a single glance. The programme here is compact yet carefully calibrated. Encompassing a main communal area centred around a round table for flight task briefings and meetings, the area is flanked by a lounge area on one side and a kitchen on the other. Vintage S 34 armchairs upholstered in red-brown leather introduce subtle accents within an otherwise muted palette of beige tones, while plywood cabinetry adds a measured softness, tempering the industrial shell without undermining its logic.

  • Inside the crew station, cement-bonded walls, exposed services, and a compact plywood kitchen are balanced by vintage S 34 leather armchairs. Glass partitions maintain visual openness, while muted tones and controlled daylight create a space that feels simultaneously utilitarian and carefully calibrated for focus and rest.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A pared-back vignette focuses on a plywood work surface animated by a small, sculptural lamp resting on a concrete base. The restrained palette and careful proportions transform everyday objects into quiet design moments, underscoring the project’s ability to extract character from functional necessity.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A transitional corridor frames the kitchen as a precise architectural insert. Plywood storage units align with the concrete floor and exposed services above, while technical drawings mounted on glass introduce a layer of operational logic, turning circulation space into an extension of the hangar’s working language.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • The galley kitchen stretches along a narrow axis, defined by birch plywood cabinetry and integrated appliances set against raw cement-bonded walls. Exposed steel trusses and ducts hover overhead, reinforcing the hangar’s industrial clarity, while daylight filtering from the far end softens the utilitarian composition.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • The compact kitchenette combines plywood cabinetry with a stainless-steel sink and pared-back fittings. The natural grain of the wood introduces warmth and tactility, subtly offsetting the hangar’s industrial language while maintaining the project’s commitment to functional clarity and material honesty.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A round briefing table anchors the crew station, surrounded by red-brown leather chairs that introduce warmth within the industrial shell. Exposed steel framing, linear lighting, and glass walls maintain a constant visual dialogue with the hangar below, reinforcing the project’s ethos of clarity, continuity, and shared purpose.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A pared-back wall composition highlights the project’s material restraint: cement-bonded particle board panels punctuated by exposed fixings, a slim plywood shelf, and stainless-steel cups. The muted grey-beige palette and raw textures foreground precision and utility, revealing how even minor details are treated as part of the hangar’s disciplined industrial language.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A sculptural desk lamp sits atop a plywood surface, its concrete base and black metal shade forming a precise, almost diagrammatic composition. The restrained still life reflects the hangar’s material logic, where off-the-shelf components and raw finishes are assembled with quiet intentionality.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A minimal still life pairs a compact speaker with a plywood storage unit, its visible wood grain offering a warm counterpoint to the hangar’s concrete and metal surfaces. The juxtaposition reflects +kouple’s approach—introducing domestic softness into a rigorously industrial environment.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A pared-back lounge area unfolds symmetrically around a low plywood cabinet and soft grey seating, set against cement-bonded walls marked by subtle wear. Overhead steel beams and exposed services remain visible, while daylight filtering through the glass façade tempers the industrial rigor with a calm, measured atmosphere.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A partially open door reveals a compact workspace tucked within the hangar’s industrial shell. Cement-bonded panels, exposed fixings, and visible services define the space, while the restrained palette and simple furnishings reflect the project’s emphasis on clarity, focus, and disciplined everyday use.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A minimal desk setup is framed by raw cement-bonded walls and a full-height glass façade, allowing daylight to wash across utilitarian surfaces. An aviation schematic taped directly to the wall reinforces the project’s operational mindset, where workspaces are treated with the same material honesty as the hangar floor.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • Custom aluminium shelving filled with modular storage crates lines the wall, pairing industrial pragmatism with precise detailing. A simple work surface and vintage chair complete the composition, illustrating how +kouple elevates everyday functional elements through proportion, repetition, and material restraint.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A close-up of a custom light fixture reveals meticulous detailing: a cylindrical aluminium spotlight neatly integrated into a steel beam, with cabling left visible yet precisely controlled. The image captures the project’s ethos of honesty, where technical components are refined rather than concealed.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A long view through glass partitions frames the hangar interior and a light aircraft resting beyond, reinforcing the constant visual dialogue between crew spaces and aviation activity. Exposed steel trusses, linear lighting, and muted industrial finishes emphasise continuity, scale, and the project’s unwavering focus on function.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • The wash area is framed by cement-bonded panels, industrial shelving, and a stainless-steel basin, with a full-height glass façade opening views onto the hangar floor and aircraft beyond. The composition collapses boundaries between operational and support spaces, reflecting the project’s outside-the-box approach to programme and hierarchy.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A frontal view of the stainless-steel wash station emphasises symmetry, restraint, and tactile contrast. Brushed metal fixtures sit against raw panelled walls, while soft daylight reveals subtle surface variations. The austere composition reflects the hangar’s disciplined aesthetic, where utility and precision guide every design decision.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A close-up of the stainless-steel shower wall captures water droplets tracing the brushed metal surface, transforming use into patina. Minimal fixtures and reflective finishes heighten the sensory quality of the space, underscoring +kouple’s approach to material honesty and the quiet beauty of wear within a utilitarian environment.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

A narrow shower corridor unfolds between glass partitions and cement-bonded walls, with exposed ventilation ducts and stainless-steel fittings reinforcing the hangar’s industrial clarity. Translucent glass panels mediate privacy while preserving visual continuity, turning a functional space into an extension of the project’s rigorously exposed architectural logic.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

Adjacent zones accommodating compact office spaces, sleeping quarters, and changing rooms albeit pared down to the bare essentials, nonetheless feel considered and purposeful. Throughout, custom-designed bunk beds, tables, benches, and storage shelving made from durable aluminium wall-profile offcuts not only underscore the scheme’s utilitarian ethos but also attest to +kouple’s reputation for contemporary product design. In the sleeping quarters, upholstered panels provide acoustic control, while subdued integrated lighting supports rest and recovery between flights. Encapsulating the project’s unconventional sensibility, a stainless-steel–clad shower is set against the glass façade, offering views of the aircraft below, with translucent sections offering full privacy.

A wider view of the changing area shows lockers, benches, and exposed structural elements arranged with exacting order. A flight suit hangs centrally, animating the space and grounding the architecture in daily ritual, where preparation and routine are integral to the hangar’s identity.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • The lockers room is revealed through a partially open doorway, where pale metal lockers line the wall above a continuous bench. Clean lines, integrated ventilation slots, and even illumination reinforce the project’s aviation discipline, translating operational spaces into a composed, almost gallery-like setting.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A human presence softens the utilitarian setting as a pilot adjusts a flight suit beside the lockers. The neutral tones, matte metal finishes, and controlled lighting frame the moment with quiet intimacy, underscoring how the hangar accommodates both technical precision and lived experience.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • The hangar interior is rendered almost cathedral-like from this rear view. Steel trusses, reflective flooring, and a glazed mezzanine align symmetrically around the aircraft, producing a sense of reverence and calm. Light and structure work together to elevate aviation into a spatial ritual.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • The crew sleeping quarters are arranged with military-like precision, featuring stacked bunks on either side of a narrow central aisle. Exposed metal frames, pale textiles, and a restrained plywood side table underscore the hangar’s functional ethos, where spatial efficiency and clarity take precedence over ornament.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A close-up of the sleeping module reveals the project’s aircraft-inspired pragmatism: upholstered bunks framed in brushed aluminium, with load specifications discreetly printed on the structure. The muted textile surfaces soften the otherwise industrial palette, balancing tactile comfort with the disciplined logic of aviation engineering.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

  • A tightly framed view of a bunk highlights the subdued material palette: soft grey upholstery, integrated power outlets, and carefully calibrated lighting. The composition foregrounds comfort distilled to essentials, echoing aircraft cabin design where every element serves a clear, utilitarian purpose.

    Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

For AEROTIM’s hangar, function is not merely accommodated but carefully shaped. Through a thoughtful combination of restraint, material honesty, and precise detailing, the project demonstrates how a strictly utilitarian brief can ultimately be elevated into a considered architectural environment.

A structural detail reveals stamped markings on a steel beam, where bolts, joints, and raw surfaces are left exposed. The image foregrounds the project’s honesty in construction, celebrating engineering language as both functional necessity and aesthetic expression.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

At dusk, the fully opened zinc-clad hangar gate reveals the illuminated interior as a glowing void carved into the concrete enclosure. The aircraft sits precisely centred, while the exposed trusses and linear lighting read as a disciplined grid, heightening the cinematic contrast between light and darkness.

Photography by Andriy Bezuglov.

Aviation Discipline Meets Design Precision at +kouple's AEROTIM Hangar