The design by Valerio Olgiati presents an archaic and brutalist image of stacking large concrete elements, conceived with a precise structural logic that gives them the presence of monumental structures with a totemic vision.
The Rruga Adem Jashari complex will house, in the centre of its base, a stepped pyramid shape structure, or ziggurat in white concrete, with multiple gardens of pine trees on its different steps, which will include a commercial programme.
The towers, which will house a mixed residential programme (housing and a hotel), take advantage of their peripheral location to incorporate an open plaza at the base of the towers that extends towards the park. This public space, lined with pine trees, aims to act as a visual and physical link between both environments, reinforcing the objective of integrating natural elements into the urban fabric of Tirana.
Valerio Olgiati’s Rruga Adem Jashari project joins a series of international projects that aim to transform the city in a short time, including OODA’s mixed-use broken block, Coldefy’s Public Administration Center, the mixed-use tower shaped like the face of Albania’s national hero by MVRDV or the already completed The Pyramid, also by MVRDV, projects that are transforming the urban dynamics of Tirana.
Rruga Adem Jashari by Valerio Olgiati. Images courtesy of Archive Olgiati.
Project description by Valerio Olgiati
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.
