The Pyramid of Tirana
Credits
Company / Customer
Municipality of Tirana / Albania Ministry of Culture; Albanian-American Development Foundation
Designer
MVRDV B.V.
iRI Architects
Year
2025
Location
Tirana
Disciplines
Architecture
Category
Culture
Award
Best of Best
Details
The Pyramid of Tirana, originally built as a museum dedicated to the communist dictator Enver Hoxha, has been transformed into a cultural hub. Reusing the concrete structure, it now stands as an open sculpture in a newly developed park, surrounded by colourful boxes housing public amenities and educational opportunities. Steps have been added to its sloping façades, inviting people in Tirana to walk (or slide) over what once was a symbol of dictatorship.
The Jury‘s Statement
In Tirana, the capital city of Albania, a Dutch architectural firm called MVRDV has taken on a challenge. They have been asked to change a museum built in 1988 to commemorate the former dictator Enver Hoxha. The museum will instead be used as a cultural centre for today and tomorrow. For years, the concrete structure, with its striking conical shape, was left to decay. The building is being renovated to create an open meeting place with studios and technology labs. Big changes, such as the open staircase that goes straight to the roof and the colourful room boxes, have created a special building that shows a country's wish for change and its plans for dealing with its past.
