Underground Tirana

The objects of Culture and Spectacle are places that have always been considered as elements which enlighten the minds of the people. This element, which is abstract, can be materialized by illuminating the underground.

Humanity always tries to create at heights, forgetting the potential that the earth has under our feet. This type of architecture explores a whole universe of possibilities that lie beneath the surface of cities.

The needs for the design of these structures are numerous:

• Landscape conservation. As long as the object will exist, the landscape on it or around can not be destroyed. Consequently, the collective memory is preserved.
• Invisible Density.
• New development opportunities to create sustainable and pedestrian-friendly cities.
• Promoting discourse on the importance of culture as a means to create new environments and human impact.

The project is focused on ‘Mother Tereza’ Square, Tirana. This is a choice which comes for several reasons. A comparison has been made (of the square) as a character that changes during daylight and night time. During the day, it belongs to the students and during the night it often turns into a place where ‘ugly’ activities occur, which we see or read about on the newspapers or social media (nothing to do with the culture and symbolism of the institutions that surround this square).

Looking at it through this prism we aim to create:

•Recreational spaces at any hour of the day and week. New places for cultural activities and knowledge exchanges.
• Pedestrian square, returning it to the general public. An Urban solution using Architecture as a tool.
• Obtaining the elements of these inherited meta-historical objects for the architectural and modular composition of the proposal.

The most popular element known by the general public and the element that creates the rhythm in the most visible way is the colonade. This element is taken as a modular unit. We create a grid above the square, which will then be reflected in the object. We preserve the axis of the boulevard as a visual and physical axis.

Great importance has been paid to the axes and visual cones inside the building and in relation to the outside, to design the building. This makes the user not forget the context where he is, and on the other hand, to invite more curious eyes to see from outside/above what is happening inside/below.

The Idea was to create a square inside (below) the ‘Mother Teresa’ square. We have volume slides, several balconies, windows, a big atrium and columns, which create an ‘agora’ for people who will enjoy this space.

The facades (but also other horizontal surfaces) have followed the logic of the materials used in the objects in the ‘Mother Teresa’ square.