Unique 71-Meter-Tall Vertical Village In Tirana Will Include House-Shaped “Puzzle Piece” Components

Designed by Network of Architecture and Atelier4, this mixed-use high-rise in Tirana, Albania, is a 71-meter-tall structure called the Puzzle Tirana Tower. It is made up of house-shaped blocks that protrude out quirkily from the facades. It is designed to be a vertical village and will include 32,700 square meters of commercial space, penthouses, apartments, and a hotel. It is currently a concept, but once constructed will include stacked volumes that mimic the shape of  “the archetypal village house with a gabled roof”.

Designer: Network of Architecture and Atelier4

The house-shaped blocks will project from the facade, maintaining distances between 0.5 and three meters. They will be built in different colors, orientations, and forms, showcasing varied layouts. They are essentially puzzle pieces that will seamlessly and gracefully “click into the structure”.

“The concept of the project comes from the fusion and densification of two worlds: urban and rural, into a single architectural intervention,” said studio founder Lukas Rungger. “The proposal celebrates the concept of abstracted puzzle pieces, always different but still similar, through its varying orientations the fragments collectively shape the facade, interweave with each other and create a common built collage.”

The tower will be incorporated with local plants and shrubs forming surreal hanging gardens, loggias, and extra space for residents. A big house-shaped void will be included, to make it look like “the missing piece of the puzzle”. This will be carved in the center of the tower and will accommodate cantilevered balconies.

“The puzzles work as value-added spaces for each housing unit,” Rungger said. “Depending on the individual needs of the inhabitants, it can transform into a loggia, an open-air cinema, a relaxation zone, a playground, a fireplace and many more versatile functions.”

The first two floors will include the building’s commercial spaces. This can be accessed through a triangular entrance at the ground level. The tower will include multiple sculptural elements, as well as a central foyer. The foyer will contain staircases that offer access to the upper floors. The basement levels will accommodate a multi-level underground car park. The second to the sixth floor will host a hotel, as well as apartment units. The seventh to the sixteenth floors will include apartments only.

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