## Tirana Expo Center / Steven Holl Architects / Albania
Steven Holl Architects has been selected as the winner of an international competition to design a convention center and hotel for the Tirana Expo site in Albania. The winning team, comprised of Steven Holl Architects, artist Agnieszka Kurant, Atelier 4, Atelier Markgraph, Stoss, and Arup, presented a design that reflects a strong commitment to community engagement and sustainable design principles.
### Signature-Inspired Design: A Unique Collaboration
The project’s unique imagery is guided by the collaboration with artist Agnieszka Kurant. The team collected signatures from the local community in Tirana and incorporated them into a meandering line, a continuation of Kurant’s project, “Signature Ends”. This line serves as the inspiration for the architectural form, patterned on the rhythm expressed in these signatures. The resulting shape also informed the shape of the CLT roof trusses, taking advantage of the special material properties of engineered timber.
### Sustainable Features for a Modern Expo Center
The project consists of two buildings: a large convention center and a hotel, both with supporting facilities. The convention center features a strong line design on its façade, while the hotel has a more subtle design that displays similar curves in plan rather than elevation. Between the two buildings, there is a large rainwater-harvesting reflecting pool that mirrors the two buildings.
The design prioritizes sustainable practices, with the entire development being heated and cooled by geothermal energy. White solar tiles contribute to energy production, and skylights bring natural light into the interior spaces. These skylights can be closed and darkened during events to accommodate the various planned activities. In addition, the soil excavated during construction will be used to build an earth mound, acting as an acoustic buffer, and striving to re-naturalize the landscape.
### Other Recent Projects by Steven Holl Architects
Steven Holl Architects, internationally known, recently announced their student performing arts center for the University of Pennsylvania. The new building is intended to provide dedicated and flexible spaces for the various performing arts groups on campus. The firm has also announced their master plan for the Gran Sasso region in Abruzzo, Italy, which is intended to encourage tourism and mountaineering in the Italian mountains.
project information
**Architect:** Steven Holl Architects
**Location:** Tirana, Albania
**Year:** 2023
**Photography:** Courtesy of Steven Holl Architects
