Located in downtown Tirana, the National Theatre of Albania is a 9,300-sm venue designed to host local and touring theatre companies in the nation’s capital. The new facility sits adjacent to Skanderbeg Square, the National Opera, and the National Art Gallery.
In addition to replacing the existing theatre, the new National Theatre of Albania adds three new indoor performance spaces, a rooftop amphitheater, and a covered public space underneath the building. The public space is created via the building’s prism shape that is lifted at the center, which creates connections and public plazas on both sides of the theatre at street level. This public space can be used for impromptu performances or other cultural events.
Rendering courtesy BIG.
Immediately upon entering the building, guests will see two grand stairs that flank a ticket counter. The stairs lead up to the theatre foyer, the main auditorium, and the smaller black box performance spaces. The main auditorium is located in the middle of the bow tie shape, sandwiched by the front-of-house activities facing the south and the back-of-house activities and services to the north.
Rendering courtesy BIG.
The facades on each side of the building (at the end of the bow tie) make use of abundant glass to reveal the interior program to passersby. “The two main facades of the National Theatre of Albania are opened up to expose the spaces inside the building to the public outside. One side reveals a foyer, lounge, bar and restaurant as well as two experimental stages to passersby, like rooms in a dollhouse,” says Bjarke Ingles in a release. “The other side reveals the entire section of the backstage, side stages, under stage and fly tower, exposing the entire theater machine to curious observers.”
The rooftop venue and café are also accessible to the public. The theater has a slight slope that creates an amphitheater-like space framed by the backdrop of the city.
Rendering courtesy BIG.
Rendering courtesy BIG.
Rendering courtesy BIG.
Related Stories
| Jul 23, 2014
Architecture Billings Index up nearly a point in June
AIA reported the June ABI score was 53.5, up from a mark of 52.6 in May.
| Jul 21, 2014
Economists ponder uneven recovery, weigh benefits of big infrastructure [2014 Giants 300 Report]
According to expert forecasters, multifamily projects, the Panama Canal expansion, and the petroleum industry’s “shale gale” could be saving graces for commercial AEC firms seeking growth opportunities in an economy that’s provided its share of recent disappointments.
| Jul 18, 2014
Contractors warm up to new technologies, invent new management schemes [2014 Giants 300 Report]
“UAV.” “LATISTA.” “CMST.” If BD+C Giants 300 contractors have anything to say about it, these new terms may someday be as well known as “BIM” or “LEED.” Here’s a sampling of what Giant GCs and CMs are doing by way of technological and managerial innovation.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Construction Management Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, Barton Malow, Hill International top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest construction management and project management firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Contractors [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Turner, Whiting-Turner, Skanska top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest contractors in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Engineering firms look to bolster growth through new services, technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following solid revenue growth in 2013, the majority of U.S.-based engineering and engineering/architecture firms expect more of the same this year, according to BD+C’s 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering/Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering/architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Fluor, Arup, Day & Zimmermann top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Gensler, Perkins+Will, NBBJ top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
2014 Giants 300 Report
Building Design+Construction magazine's annual ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
