The revival of the iconic pyramid of Tirana
They say that "in tyrant there is nothing", which is one of those capitals in which it is not worth spending more than a couple of days. We are sorry to discern. It is true that the albanian capital it may seem a little less interesting than the powerful (and flirtatious) Gjirokastra or the thousand eyes that watch you from Kruja. Nevertheless, Tirana vibrates every night (in party terms, they are first cousins of the Spanish nightlife concept), it awakens art and culture in every corner and maintains that Ottoman aroma that permeates everything.
MVRDV will handle the renovation
One of the great icons of the capital is the great pyramid, planted at the end of an eternal avenue In the heart of the city. Although the construction was opened in 1988 as a tribute to the communist leader Enver Hoxha , has also served as NATO temporary base during the war in Kosovo and as a stage for clandestine night events.
It was from 2001 when demolition of this historical relic, in full decline and vandalized (the young people have used it as a canvas to make graffiti), entered into discussion.
Well, finally, the dilemma has been solved: the wooden planks that prohibited the passage of the most curious and will be rehabilitated the building to contemplate the dizzying views from the top (even skateboarding down its slopes) becomes a safe activity again.
Who will be in charge of the project? The MVRDV architecture studio, who will radically renew the brutalist monument. The pyramid has a large concrete structure that will be reused, being its total surface of 11,835 square meters.
To give the enclave a fresh scent, trees will be planted in and around the atrium, and cafes, studios, workshops and classrooms they will be installed both inside and in the area surrounding the building.
The non-profit educational institution TUMO Tirana will be the main user of the pyramid, offering Free after-school education for young people between 12 and 18 years old in matters like software, robotics, animation, music and film.
This will be the new cultural epicenter of the city
The goal of MVRDV? Convert the pyramid to the epicenter of cultural life of the Albanian capital, giving life to a space that embraces the new generations.
To reach its top, add steps to the concrete beams inclined that can be used as a stage to perform tourist visits and temporary events. The steps will be created with the stone tiles that originally graced the façade and new concrete.
On the other hand, one of the beams will be kept as a slope for those who want to skate , can slide down the monument.
"Working on a brutalist monument like the pyramid is a dream," says MVRDV founding partner Winy Maas.
"It is striking and interesting to see how the country has fought for the future of the building, which, on the one hand, is a controversial chapter in its history and that, on the other, has already been recovered by the inhabitants of Tirana”.
Sustainability is one of the pillars of the project
“I saw its potential right away and thought it should be possible turn it even more, if possible, into a "monument of the people", instead of demolishing it. The challenge is to create a new relationship between the building and its surroundings. I trust that our design achieves this. I am looking forward to seeing the young and , for the first time, older people climbing the steps to the roof" Winy Maas points out.
This project not only demonstrates that architecture can adapt to the demands of a new era, but also that it has been conceived under a philosophy that advocates sustainability , fulfilling several of the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.