MVRDV revitalises Pyramid in Tirana, Albania

The concrete structure will be reused, the atrium and its surroundings made greener and to be opened up; 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 expected to become a new hub for Tirana's cultural life.

The 11,835 sq m pyramid has had several lives in the past; originally constructed as a museum, then as a temporary NATO base, as a nightclub and even an event space. 

Plans in recent years to transform the structure only partially materialised, leaving the interior cluttered and dark. MVRDV’s design will 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.

Steps have been added to the sloping concrete beams, making it safe for visitors to walk over this former museum dedicated to the country’s dictator, to the top of the pyramid. One of the beams will be preserved as a slope that visitors can slide down, at their own risk. 

The transformation of the pyramid shows how a building can be made suitable for a new era, while at the same time preserving its complex history, and demonstrates that historic brutalist buildings are ideal for reuse. The project also meets a number of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the United Nations.

As the majority of the structure is open to the surroundings for most of the year, only the added boxes housing the educational programme need to be climate-controlled, reducing energy consumption.