Tirana, Albania, is undergoing a significant architectural transformation, with eight new skyscrapers planned or currently under construction. These buildings are not just towering structures, but rather, they are ambitious designs that incorporate unique elements reflecting the city's history and aspirations.
Dutch design studio MVRDV is responsible for two of these projects. The Skanderbeg Building, nearing completion, is a 'figurative sculpture' of Gjergj Kastrioti, a national hero known as Skanderbeg. The Downtown One, set to be the tallest building in Albania, aims to symbolize the country's economic progress, according to Winy Maas, founding partner of MVRDV.
Portuguese studio OODA is also contributing to the city's skyline with two projects: Hora Vertikale, featuring 13 staggered cubes with seven floors of apartments each, and Bond Tower, a unique skyscraper that appears as two separate buildings bending away from one another.
Other notable projects include Rruga Adem Jashari, which will become Albania's tallest building upon completion, and Puzzle Tirana, a building that combines abstract shapes and greenery to 'fuse the urban and the rural together.' Tirana Vertical Forest takes sustainability to a new level, featuring 3,200 shrubs and 145 trees coexisting with 105 apartments.
The New Boulevard, a mixed-use building tapering towards the sky, is planned as part of a new cultural district in north Tirana. These ambitious projects showcase Tirana's commitment to modern architecture and its desire to create a unique and vibrant urban landscape.