Another major project in central Tirana is being pushed forward with the familiar language of urban transformation. In place of the building of the “Taiwan” complex in Rinia Park, a project has been selected for a multistory building, while the official version insists that public space and greenery will not be affected.
Danish studio declared winner of the competition
Danish company Bjarke Ingels Group has been declared the winner of the international competition for the project called “Tirana Fountain Plaza.” The project envisages the construction of a three-dimensional multistory building in the heart of the capital.
The area where the intervention is planned is Rinia Park, where the “Taiwan” complex is currently located. The existing building will be replaced, and the property is privately owned.
How the new project is presented
According to the winning project, the building will rise above ground level and will be organized with volumes intended to free up the surrounding space. The idea presented is that the park will remain accessible to the public even after the intervention.
This is one of those projects where urban planning promises are set against the usual public concern: how much public space is really preserved when a new multistory development enters its middle. For now, only the project’s general concept has been made public.
Government presents it as transformation without affecting greenery
During the presentation of the five international projects that took part in the competition, Prime Minister Edi Rama described the plan as important for the transformation of Rinia Park.
According to Rama, the intervention will transform the area without affecting the green space within the park. He has also defended the approach of involving foreign studios in such projects, presenting this as a choice for the future of urban development in Albania.
The question that remains after the competition
Beyond the architectural presentation, the main issue remains the real impact that a new tower will have on one of Tirana’s best-known public spaces. So far, the official version speaks of public access and preservation of the park, but the debate over the density of construction in the center of the capital is expected to remain open.
At this stage, it is known that the winning project will replace the current “Taiwan” building, while further details on implementation and the concrete effect on the ground have not been disclosed.
The “Tirana Fountain Plaza” project thus joins the list of major interventions that are reshaping the center of Tirana, amid promises of modernization and continuing questions about the limits of construction in public spaces.