The Pyramid of Tirana is honored with another award by the prestigious jury
2024-06-13 23:09:08
TiranaPost
The Tirana Pyramid transformation project has received another prestigious award from the WAN Awards EMEA jury . The jury calls the transformed Pyramid "a 'bold project', open to the public, surrounded by an ensemble of colorful boxes, scattered in and around the original building".
Meanwhile, the well-known architect Eva Jiricna, chairman of the jury of the "WAN Awards EMEA" has expressed about the project: "As born in a country, which has gone through similar historical events and as a witness of clashes whenever it comes to treatment of buildings abandoned by the previous regime, hated by some and admired by others, the answer is to take it with a little humor. [About the Pyramid] ...no more hate, just a fun, useful, necessary solution to modern life, and very well usable by anyone (whether those who remember what it symbolized, or those who don't to know about it at all). Kudos to the designers for such a good solution, to show the public that a little humor can heal even the deepest wounds."
PYRAMID, the building transformed by using humor to heal the deepest wounds
Originally built as a museum for communist dictator Enver Hoxha, MRDV has reused the concrete structure to completely transform the Pyramid of Tirana, into an open sculpture in a new park.
The jury of the WAN Awards EMEA describes it as a "bold project", which "reaches out to the public". The park and the sculpture are surrounded by an ensemble of colorful boxes, scattered in and around the original building, where they find space for cafes, studios, workshops, offices for start-ups, incubators, festivals and classes where young people can learn different technology subjects for free of information.
Stairs have been added to the sloping facades, which enable visitors to step, in the full sense of the word, on the work of the former dictator.
The way the building has been used, since the fall of the communist regime, has caused its interior to remain messy and dark for a long time. The majority of Albanians were against the demolition of the building and their wish was respected, when the government announced the plan to transform the concrete monolith. For many, the Pyramid is a symbol of victory against the dictatorial regime, and the new project was inspired by the way citizens reclaimed the building.
Eva Jiricna, part of the WAN Awards EMEA jury, said that the project made her smile. The veteran Czech architect said: "As born in a country that has gone through similar historical events and as a witness to the clashes when it comes to dealing with buildings abandoned by the previous regime, hated by some and admired by others others, the answer is to take it a little with humor."
She added: "There is no more hate, there is only a solution that is fun, useful, necessary for modern life and very well usable by anyone (those who remember what it symbolized and those who don't want to know at all ). Kudos to the designers for such a good solution, to teach the public that a little humor can heal even the deepest wounds."
Highlights of the project
The Pyramid Transformation shows how a building can be adapted for a "new wind", while preserving its complex history. Instead of the structure collapsing in vain, its solid concrete shell has been adapted according to the principles of the "circular economy". Large tiered sheets of glass replace the panes between the Pyramid's concrete beams, protecting the interior from rain while keeping it open to the elements.
