Lähteenmäki is a Finnish architect, art historian and a research officer of the post-graduate programme on history and theory of architecture at the School of Architecture at the Federal Graduate Technical School, Zurich, Switzerland. His doctoral thesis researches into the art and architecture of Soviet avant-guard. Lähteenmäki studied at the University of Helsinki, Moscow State University, Finnish Institute in Rome and Courtauld Institute. He is a co-founder of the New Academy in Helsinki, Finland.