A brilliant and massive Korean design in Tirana, the capital of Albania, is set to become one of Europe’s boldest architectural icons. The Dutch firm MVRDV, known for pushing the boundaries of architecture, has won an international competition to redesign an old stadium. (yankodesign)
Photographer: Unknown / www.yankodesign.com
The proposed plan of the architects called “The Grand Ballroom” is a spherical structure with a diameter of 100 meters that challenges the common models of building construction.
Consolidation of incompatible users in a single form
The Tirana Korea Project has integrated seemingly incompatible user programs into a sculptural form. In the heart of this sphere, there is a 6,000-seat stadium for basketball and volleyball. Contrary to the usual method of architects who separate these functions in separate volumes, MVRDV has stacked them vertically inside a spherical shell.
Photographer: Unknown / www.yankodesign.com
Hotel rooms, residential apartments, restaurants and public spaces are located around the central core (gym). This design method has created a building that simultaneously plays the role of an urban monument and a machine for modern life.
Spatial organization and intelligent view
The space organization strategy in this project shows a deep understanding of the transition between public and private spaces. On the ground floor, where the sphere meets the ground, there is a green space.
The outer shell of the building shows the designers’ special attention to the facade details. A mesh shell of vertical and horizontal structural elements covers the entire volume. This unfolding rhythmic network regulates light and vision while maintaining the integrity of the sphere. In addition to providing the necessary transparency for different uses, these apertures strengthen the geometric purity of the form by accurately distributing them on the surface.
Tirana; A laboratory for contemporary design
The Grand Ballroom project comes at a time when Tirana is actively redefining its architectural identity. The capital of Albania has become a laboratory for contemporary design in recent years, attracting international architects to present bold proposals. The MVRDV sphere is a building that is recognizable from all over the city and interacts with pedestrians at the street level.
This project represents a break from the multi-building and scattered approach that usually defines multi-purpose projects. Instead of clustering separate towers around a common square, MVRDV has concentrated everything in a single object. This area becomes a self-sufficient urban neighborhood; A building that plays the role of a city and neighborhood sign at the same time.
Photographer: Unknown / www.yankodesign.com
What do you think about living or watching a sports match in such a building? Share your comments with us and other audiences.
Cover photo source: www.yankodesign.com Photographer: Unknown
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