dark mode light mode Search
Search

A Vertical Puzzle: NOA and Atelier4’s Striking Tower Revolutionizes Tirana

A Vertical Puzzle: NOA's Striking Tower Redefines Tirana

Atelier4 + NOA

In Tirana, a striking new tower designed by NOA embodies the swift transformations of the Albanian capital. This architectural marvel takes the traditional village house, characterized by its gabled roof, and multiplies it into a dizzying vertical arrangement. The result is a captivating puzzle that hints at both the city’s rich history and the unwritten future that lies ahead.Over the last century, Tirana has undergone remarkable urban changes. Since becoming the capital in 1920, the city’s architecture has often been wielded as a tool for political messaging. The collapse of the communist regime in 1991 marked a turning point, leading to rapid urban expansion that frequently lacked planning.

The election of Edi Rama as mayor in 2000, followed by his role as Prime Minister in 2013, initiated a wave of urban renewal and international engagement, drawing in a host of distinguished architects. “As I wandered through Tirana, I encountered a city steeped in a rich yet tumultuous history, evident in the eclectic architectural remnants scattered throughout the urban landscape. It felt like a puzzle where the old and new harmoniously coexist, creating a mesmerizing contrast,” reflects Lukas Rungger, architect and founder of NOA.

A Vertical Puzzle: NOA's Striking Tower Redefines Tirana

The project is situated on a rectangular lot measuring 75 x 25 meters in a densely populated area, where ten-story buildings stand alongside two- or three-level homes—a typical scene in Tirana. This new mixed-use development will replace an existing structure, offering approximately 160 apartments of varying sizes (ranging from 70 to 130 m²), a hotel, and a spacious commercial area. The design concept aims to illustrate the transition from rural living to urban apartments, symbolizing the city’s rapid evolution and rising as a distinctive metropolitan village.

“In our design, we sought to illustrate the dynamic interplay between rural and urban life, incorporating elements from both realms. At the heart of the structure lies a highly rational and optimized core, designed to accommodate a variety of spaces. In contrast, the facade bursts with energy—an apparent chaos where every component finds its rightful place,” as Lukas Rungger elaborates.

A Vertical Puzzle: NOA's Striking Tower Redefines Tirana

Puzzle Tirana emerges as a striking tower, its four facades showcasing a lively and diverse arrangement of house-shaped modules topped with gabled roofs, extending from 0.5 to 3 meters. These modules, adorned in a spectrum of colors, differ in shape, roof angle, and the size and number of openings, creating a vibrant visual tapestry.

“The houses function like puzzle pieces,” Lukas Rungger explains. “They interlock, rotating until they seamlessly integrate into the overall structure.” This vertical village transcends mere aesthetics; each module adds valuable space for both residential and commercial purposes. It embodies a hybrid environment, blending indoor and outdoor areas that can accommodate a multitude of activities—ranging from hanging gardens and loggias to open-air cinemas, pools, saunas, and barbecue spots.

A Vertical Puzzle: NOA's Striking Tower Redefines Tirana

The building’s four facades possess equal architectural significance, allowing the tower to engage harmoniously with its urban surroundings. A triangular entrance marks the access point to the shopping center on Rruga Medar Shtylla. “The facade elements extend into the building’s interior,” notes architect Andrea Dal Negro. “The inner courtyard fronts, which span the first two floors dedicated to commercial spaces, are also inverted houses that shape the circulation areas.” The facades are further enhanced by local plants and shrubs grafted onto the protruding sections of the modules, while sculptures on the first two floors create an artistic pathway along the facade.

A Vertical Puzzle: NOA's Striking Tower Redefines Tirana

A striking void, reminiscent of a rotated house, slices through the facade between the 8th and 11th floors, introducing an element of surprise—a volumetric gap that feels like the missing piece of a grand puzzle, as noted by Andrea Dal Negro. This architectural feature not only enhances the visual appeal but also invites curiosity and intrigue.

The building’s functional layout is organized vertically: the underground levels accommodate parking, while the first two floors are dedicated to commercial spaces. From the 2nd to the 6th floors, a blend of hotel rooms and apartments can be found, leading to a series of apartments from the 7th to the 16th floors, totaling 158 units. At the pinnacle, three floors are reserved for five exclusive penthouses, each uniquely designed and enveloped by a sprawling garden, perched 58 meters above the vibrant rooftops of Tirana. The project has successfully secured preliminary design approval and is now poised to transition into the executive design phase.

Images courtesy of Atelier4 and NOA

Sign up to our newsletters and we’ll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.