A modular blade or vane for a gas turbine which comprises the modular components of: a platform element with a planar or contoured surface defining a platform level and a through-opening therein, and an airfoil, extending through the platform element, wherein the airfoil having: a load carrying structure extending along a longitudinal axis of the airfoil, having a root portion for fastening on a blade or vane carrier of the gas turbine, having a tip portion, and having at least one interior passage, extending from the root portion to the tip portion of the airfoil, an aerodynamically shaped shell extending in a distance over the carrying structure and defining the outer contour of the airfoil, a longitudinally extending gap, defined between the carrying structure and the shell, a number of through-holes in the carrying structure for directing a cooling medium from the interior passage into the gap the shell being integrally joined to said carrying structure by a first joint in a region below the platform level of the platform element; and the shell being joined to the carrying structure by at least one additional joint, characterized in that said at least one additional joint is a form-fit joint, comprising an edge (51, 52) of the shell fitting into a groove, formed in a component at the tip of the airfoil, allowing relative movement in longitudinal direction between shell and carrying structure and allowing leakage of the cooling medium into the hot gas path. a platform element with a planar or contoured surface defining a platform level and a through-opening therein, and an airfoil, extending through the platform element, wherein the airfoil having: a load carrying structure extending along a longitudinal axis of the airfoil, having a root portion for fastening on a blade or vane carrier of the gas turbine, having a tip portion, and having at least one interior passage, extending from the root portion to the tip portion of the airfoil, an aerodynamically shaped shell extending in a distance over the carrying structure and defining the outer contour of the airfoil, a longitudinally extending gap, defined between the carrying structure and the shell, a number of through-holes in the carrying structure for directing a cooling medium from the interior passage into the gap the shell being integrally joined to said carrying structure by a first joint in a region below the platform level of the platform element; and the shell being joined to the carrying structure by at least one additional joint, characterized in that said at least one additional joint is a form-fit joint, comprising an edge (51, 52) of the shell fitting into a groove, formed in a component at the tip of the airfoil, allowing relative movement in longitudinal direction between shell and carrying structure and allowing leakage of the cooling medium into the hot gas path. a load carrying structure extending along a longitudinal axis of the airfoil, having a root portion for fastening on a blade or vane carrier of the gas turbine, having a tip portion, and having at least one interior passage, extending from the root portion to the tip portion of the airfoil, an aerodynamically shaped shell extending in a distance over the carrying structure and defining the outer contour of the airfoil, a longitudinally extending gap, defined between the carrying structure and the shell, a number of through-holes in the carrying structure for directing a cooling medium from the interior passage into the gap the shell being integrally joined to said carrying structure by a first joint in a region below the platform level of the platform element; and the shell being joined to the carrying structure by at least one additional joint, characterized in that said at least one additional joint is a form-fit joint, comprising an edge (51, 52) of the shell fitting into a groove, formed in a component at the tip of the airfoil, allowing relative movement in longitudinal direction between shell and carrying structure and allowing leakage of the cooling medium into the hot gas path.