The project is located in Tirana, Albania. The urban idea is to have the three Towers follow the grid of the city. The plot is located at the limit between the city and the park.
The architectural idea is based on the archaic gesture of putting. blocks on top of each other. This idea is expressed through the facade pillars, pigmented concrete blocks which follow a very precise structural logic.
These pillars physically manifest the forces involved in the structure and the towers appear as three totemic figures.
The towers rise from a pigmented concrete basis that is accessible from all sides. This plaza extends across the street toward the park, creating a connection between the city and the park. This connection is further emphasized by the placement of pine trees.
A stepped pyramid, a ziggurat, is placed in between the towers. On its steps, pine trees are planted so that the whole building is perceived as a garden. The towers are in an earthy red tone concrete. This color expresses the growth of the structure out of the ground. On the other side, the ziggurat is an invention, it is a pure idea. For this reason, it is in white concrete.
The towers host apartments and a hotel. The floor plans are thought in a way that the structural elements allow a free and flexible arrangement of internal partitions. The ziggurat hosts a retail area, which is also extended into the underground -1.
Text: Valerio Olgiati
CREDITS
architect: VALERIO OLGIATI, Flims, Switzerland
responsible architects: Gregory Degiacomi, Eleonora Minchio
object: housing, hotel, retail
structural engineer: AEI Progetti, Firenze, Italy
electrical planner: Elteknik International AG, Stans, Switzerland
HVAC/ plumbing planner: Anion Sh.p.k., Tirana, Albania
