Expo Albania
Tirana
Nestled on the dynamic edge of Tirana, Expo Albania embraces both urban convenience and suburban possibilities. The site boasts seamless highway access and the freedom to create a self-contained, innovative environment. By strategically incorporating amenities that resonate with Tirana's citizens, especially its vibrant youth, the expo can transform this emerging landscape into a must-visit destination.
Site’s gentle topography allowed for a thoughtful program organization with minimal excavation. Different functions are carefully distributed - parking garage and storage facilities for the main exhibition hall are positioned at lower levels; traffic is kept underground, and the ground level is a tranquil, pedestrian-friendly environment enriched with various amenities. The first floor is dedicated to meeting spaces, while hotel rooms on the upper floors offer panoramic views of the Farkë lake and city centre.
Our spatial design aimed to integrate several dualities in functions: public vs. controlled entrance, representative vs. service, and daily use vs. temporary use. Public amenities - hotel with cafes, bars, and restaurants are organized closer to the northern entrance, with easy year-round accessibility and outdoor spaces shielded from highway noise by parks and greenery. The main exhibition hall, intended for larger periodic events, is positioned in the south, minimizing its impact on surrounding areas when not actively hosting events.
The complex's volume creates a distinctive facade along the main road, while acting as a barrier against traffic noise for visitors. Additionally, the project plans to enhance the existing greenery by establishing a park that extends across the plot, to create a gentle buffer between the new expo complex and the surrounding residential neighbourhood.
The planned exhibition centre layout is modular, allowing for seamless reconfiguration to accommodate various event formats and sizes need (large expo events, concert performances, simultaneously occurring smaller events). The large multipurpose pavilion transitions seamlessly into exercise studios, pop-up libraries, or smaller art exhibitions. Outdoors, dedicated areas attract joggers, skateboarders, dog walkers, children, and elders, all drawn by the events and vibrant community.
Fact Sheet
Project name
Expo Albania
project number
1162
program
public, culture, urban planning, hospitality
status
project
project
2024 - 2024
Location
Albania, Tirana, Mulliri i Vjeter Street
Site area
61817 m²
Size
48769 m²
Footprint
18561 m²
author
3LHD
client
The National Territorial Planning Agency
Project Team
Saša Begović, Marko Dabrović, Tatjana Grozdanić Begović, Silvije Novak, Paula Kukuljica, Ana Mikelić, Antonia Dajak Nadal, Aljoša Kotnjek, Jure Živković, Mario Harni, Iva Prtenjača
Project team collaborators
Dorian Grbanović, Koraljka Mandarić, Mladena Žarković