Czech architecture and urban design practice CHYBIK + KRISTOF has won an international architectural competition to design a new mixed-use tower in Tirana, Albania.

The 83-meter tower, which will house majorly of residential spaces, the first three floors will be dedicated to offices and retail. Marking the context with its distinguished cascading silhuette, the tower will be a significant addition to Tirana’s ever-growing skyline.

Encompassing a total of 17,500 square meters, CHYBIK+KRISTOF's winning scheme is developed as part of Tirana’s upcoming Culture Hub central masterplan. The first of many projects from the masterplan will be built, joining international firms in re-defining the urban landscape of Tirana.

View from the inner courtyard

"Over the past decade, the Albanian capital has been booming into a modern and dynamic city, following its mission to invest in infrastructure and high-quality spaces, improving the eminence of life for its residents alongside becoming an attractive point in the Balkans," said CHYBIK+KRISTOF.

"Underlining the city’s active leadership efforts to elevate Tirana’s urbanism, many international offices are contributing to this important development, including CHK." 

"As a part of this reactivation and redesign of the city, particularly establishing the cultural importance of the upcoming area, CHK's winning design is a central connector in the urban masterplan, bringing together the entire district of the upcoming Cultural Hub, consequently forming a vibrant public space for the locals," the firm added.

CHK paid attention to the existing planned city fabric which makes the heart of the project. The city fabric "forges a connection with the dynamic landscape of Tirana via the New Boulevard," as the studio explained. 

View from Piazzetta 

Situated strategically on a corner plot at the heart of the future Cultural Hub, the tower is expected to acts as the urban connector, weaving together the district's upcoming key cultural buildings. For example, the opera house, art gallery, cultural center with the Boulevard, and the River Park, with the new scheme will become a vibrant and cohesive public area. 

Thanks to the tower's cascading scheme, with a rectangular structure situated on a prominent corner of the area, is expected to be a pivotal orientation point for the entire neighborhood.

"The significance of the tower extends beyond its design, as it combines old and new elements, defining a new urbanity at a crucial scale for Tirana," said the office. 

"Located at the end of the New Boulevard, this structure is set to be one of the first realized buildings of the new masterplan, bringing balance to the end of the Boulevard in close proximity to the River Park." 

"This integration connects the Boulevard with nature, adding an essential element to the overall urban landscape of Tirana," the studio continued.

The overall architectural form of the tower makes a bold statement for the residential areas, residential units make up 80 percent of the building. 

View from the interior of a 1+1 apartment 

Interplaying a solid-void relationship in a gridded layout in a three dimension, green roof terraces were derived from a cascading façade for several apartments on each floor. This layout also "extends the greenery of the surrounding urban context by retaining rainwater to mitigate the heat island effect and irrigate vegetation." 

Moreover, to achieve optimal environmental goals, residential blocks were envisioned as passive shaded loggias with full of greenery, as a viable response to the local subtropical Mediterranean climate, in which the firm called this strategy "a climate-specific living approach". 

"The passive, shaded loggias are built in every apartment with aluminum window frames, bringing optimal thermal coverage to the entirety of the apartment, protecting the interior from overheating, providing only the main source of daylight, and framing the unique views of the Skanderbeg Mountain Range in the distance," explained the studio.

"The winning project for the multifunctional tower at the New Boulevard of Tirana marks a milestone in our city's architectural landscape, as it is a result of the first private international competition amongst nearly 20 future competitions in this particular area," said Frida Pashako, General Director of Urban Planning and Development at the Municipality of Tirana.

"This project showcases an extraordinary fusion of innovative design and visionary urban planning."

View from the interior of loft apartment

"The proposal stands out by its thoughtful consideration of the street articulation/corner of the project, integrating with the urban fabric while establishing an inviting and dynamic connection."

"It shows an appreciation for the site's context and the rapid development unfolding around it," Pashako added.

According to the studio, establishing a cohesive relationship between diverse functions within the tower and with the public spaces around it was one of the key elements. "The clever distribution of spaces fosters a synergy that intertwines various functionalities, creating an environment that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing," Pashako continued. 

"One of the key highlights is its ability to establish a cohesive relationship between diverse functions within the tower and with the public spaces around it."

Situation plan

"The clever distribution of spaces fosters a synergy that intertwines various functionalities, creating an environment that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing."

"This project aspires to contribute to the emergence of a new identity within the informal urban context, shaping a future that accommodates the rapid pace of development," Pashako added.

"I am certain that this building will aid in creating spaces that inspire and evolve with the cityscape. We are eager to witness the tangible impact it will have on our city's skyline and the lives of its inhabitants. We thank CHYBIK+KRISTOF for bringing their international expertise and experience to Tirana."

Cultural hub

"Setting a pioneering example of collaboration between the private and public sectors, the project marks the first pilot exemplary international competition for privately owned land and a private investor with the active participation of the city of Tirana and international architectural offices," the studio explained. 

CHK’s winning design stands as a testament to their vision for a dynamic and interconnected urban future. As the tower takes shape, it will contribute to defining the city's identity, representing the fusion of architecture, environmental action, and community engagement.

Illustration

Terraces

CHYBIK + KRISTOF also won an architectural competition to design a new school in Stara Boleslav in the Czech Republic. In addition, the firm completed a historic greenhouse wrapped by glass and steel structure in the heart of Brno, Czech Republic.

CHYBIK + KRISTOF (CHK) is an architecture and urban design practice was founded in 2010 by Ondrej Chybik and Michal Kristof. The firm has offices in London, Prague, and Brno. 

Project facts

Lead Architect: Ondrej Chybik, Michal Kristof

Design team: Jiri Vala, Jiri Richter, Radek Satora, Ondrej Svancara, Ondrej Mundl, Ilya Lebedev, Lukas Kvasnica, Martyna Bobinska, Magdalena Czopka, Antonin Hampl, Martin Holy, Martin Iglesias

Landscape Architect: MARKO & THE PLACEMAKERS

Local Consultant: STUDIOARCH4

Sustainable Design Specialist: CLEARLY EFFICIENT

Structural Engineer: SDS Group shpk, BOLLINGER + GROHMANN

Collaboration: Marko&Placemakers, CLEARLY EFFICIENT, Studioarch4, SDS Group shpk, Competitors: XDGA, Bovenbouw Architectuur, Coop Himmelblau, Atelier Martel

Investors: 2T SHPK, BE-IS SHPK

Year: 2023

Type: mixed-use, residential, offices, retail 

Size: 17, 500m2

Investment: 11,375 000EUR

Status: competition (1st place)

Tower height: 83,7 m 

Floors: 23

All renderings and drawings courtesy of CHYBIK + KRISTOF.

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CHYBIK + KRISTOF concept red concrete Tirana tower