Charged with establishing easier connections to the main activities and services in the heart of Tirana, the design creates a hybrid typology that combines a transportation center with recreational facilities.
It allows commuters to navigate fluidly among different modes of transportation — light rail, commuter rail, buses, cars, and bicycles — and offers opportunities for people to shop, eat, work, and play.
The site, at a distance from the city center, incorporates a hotel and office tower and many community amenities: event venues, park, soccer field, tennis courts, swimming pools, and cafés.
A retail spine unifies the diverse program and creates transitional space between horizontal and vertical. Undulating bands modulate natural light, and the tower contributes density as well as iconography.
In keeping with the scale of the city, the awarded design creates a commuter and communal hub resonant with the future development of Tirana.
Location:AlbaniaArchitect: Alda ÇapiArchitecture Office:AÇADesign Team: Alda Çapi, Chris MasicampoClient: International Design Competition Organized and Sponsored by Polis University and the Municipality of Tirana
