Work has begun on the conversion of the 1980s brutalist Pyramid of Tirana in the Albanian capital into a youth-focused cultural hub.
Dutch-architecture studio MVRDV is set to convert the 11,835-square-metre pyramid in central Tirana into a "peoples monument" that contains cafes, studios, workshops and classrooms where free lessons will be available to young Albanians.
MVRDV is converting the Pyramid of Tirana into a youth cultural centre
Built as a museum dedicated to former communist leader Enver Hoxha, the Pyramid of Tirana opened in 1988 but closed three years later following the collapse of Communism in the country.
It was subsequently used as a temporary NATO base and a nightclub before being left to deteriorate being used as a canvas for graffiti, a place for socialising and a large slide. "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" MVRDV's founding partner, Winy Maas said.
The interior space will contain classrooms and cafes
MVRDV will strip the structure back to its robust concrete shell with a plaza created alongside stacked climate-controlled classrooms within the building, which will be renamed the Pyramid.
This plaza will be accessed by numerous passageways on the ground floor that will be left open to invite the public to ...