Tirana, Albania

Dutch-architecture studio MVRDV’s redesign dramatically renovates The Pyramid of Tirana, the brutalist monument in the heart of Albania’s capital city and once the showpiece of Communist dictator Enver Hoxha.

The firms is set to convert the 11,835-square-metre pyramid in central Tirana into a “people’s monument.”

The concrete structure will be reused, the atrium and its surroundings greened and opened, and a small village of cafes, studios, workshops, and classrooms–where Albanian youth will learn various technology subjects for free–will permeate the site, both inside and outside the pyramid itself.

The Pyramid is thus expected to become a new hub for Tirana’s cultural life and a carrier for the new generation.

The Pyramid has had several lives in the past: originally constructed as a museum dedicated to Enver Hoxha, it has also served as a temporary base for NATO during the War in Kosovo, a nightclub, and an event space.

For many Albanian’s the Pyramid is now the symbol of the victory over the regime.

In an attempt to reclaim the deteriorating structure, the youth of Tirana have used it as a hangout and a canvas for graffiti, and often climb it at night and then–not without risk–slide down its slopes.’

Plans in recent years to transform the structure only partially materialized, leaving the interior cluttered and dark.

MVRDV’s design will radically open up the building, which is now hermetically sealed and inaccessible. Huge glass flaps close the building when it rains.

Additions from previous renovations will be stripped away to reveal a voluminous interior space.

Trees and other greenery give this open space a welcoming appearance.

Boxes containing individual rooms are placed inside, upon, and around the existing structure. This will create a village of classrooms, studios, cafes, and restaurants.

Non-profit educational institution TUMO Tirana will be the main user of the Pyramid, providing free afterschool education for 12- to 18-year-olds in new techniques such as software, robotics, animation, music, and film.

“Working on a brutalist monument like the Pyramid is a dream,” says founding partner of MVRDV Winy Maas.

“It is striking and interesting to see how the country struggled with the future of the building, which on one hand is a controversial chapter in the country’s history, and on the other hand has already been partly reclaimed by the residents of Tirana.”

“I immediately saw its potential, and that it should be possible to make it even more of a ‘people’s monument’ instead of demolishing it.”

“The challenging part is to create a new relationship between the building and its surroundings. I am confident our design establishes this. I am looking forward to seeing young people and for the first-time older people climbing the steps to the rooftop!”

Architects: MVRDV
Client: TUMO Tiran