Architecture has been at the center of a transformation process in Albania, particularly significant in Tirana, its capital city. In 2017, the winning project for the Tirana 2030 Masterplan was unveiled, designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti, UNLAB, and IND [Inter.National.Design] as part of a competition organized by the Ministry of Urban Development. Aiming to give Tirana a new metropolitan dimension while promoting and preserving green spaces, the strategy integrates a system of open spaces, natural elements, and strategic projects at key points in the city. The multidisciplinary Catalan firm Bofill Taller de Arquitectura has contributed to this transformation with two mixed-use towers in Tirana and a resort project in the coastal town of Dhërmi, reflecting the distinctive aesthetic of Ricardo Bofill's work.
Papuli Tower in Tirana
The design of the Papuli Tower in Tirana is a tribute to La Fábrica, the historic building that houses Bofill Taller de Arquitectura's offices. The new skyscraper features vast concrete cylinders, similar to those in La Fábrica, rising 190 meters above the capital and accommodating office, commercial, and residential spaces. The tower consists of four elongated silos (circular in plan) serviced by a central square core. This geometric clarity allows for flexible, practical floor plans, similar to those at the firm's headquarters. Their sense of theatre is mirrored through exaggerated proportions and similar interior palettes, including deep shades of terracotta flooring and oxidized concrete walls. The projects differ in the detailing, particularly in the facade texture and fenestration, giving Papuli Tower a contemporary industrial character that nods to Tirana's history as Albania's most heavily industrialized region.
Barcelona Tower in Tirana
Barcelona Tower is the firm's contribution to Tirana's skyline. Located near Skanderbeg Square, the city's main plaza and cultural heart, it is a modern landmark while respecting the site's historical identity. The 190-meter tower features a subtle twist, designed to improve energy efficiency and aerodynamic performance by increasing resistance to wind loads. A central concrete core supports the overall structure, while the floor plates rotate by a consistent degree as they ascend, tapering toward the sky like an obelisk. This mixed-use project includes offices on the lower floors and apartments above, set within a plinth containing commercial spaces at ground level. The design and rich red concrete pigment are inspired by the Albanian Photographic and Graphic Art Collection, incorporating references from the traditional fustanella skirt and architectural elements such as the stone pillars in La Pirámide and Casa Mont-ras, both designed by Bofill's office in the 1970s.
Red Sol Resort in Dhërmi
Bofill Taller de Arquitectura's Red Sol Resort takes a rational approach to the landscape of the Albanian Riviera. The design responds to the rugged terrain, jagged rocks, steep mountainsides, and dense pine and cypress forests, by overlaying a fine grid onto the ground plane, creating a framework to organize the space. The floor plan consists of a series of squares, while the building section varies in height to provide different spatial experiences suited to hotel pavilions, apartments, and villas. Both the overall shape and materiality are intended to harmonize with the surrounding mountains and earth. The resort's different volumes are connected by exterior stairs, bridges, and walkways, evoking the image of a castle from afar. Community spaces include pools, patios, and sea-facing viewpoints, designed as exterior areas for quiet contemplation.
These projects, still in the design phase, align with the evolving architectural language that characterized the work of Ricardo Bofill (1939–2022). His most recognized projects include the conversion of a disused cement factory into centralized offices for Taller de Arquitectura, The Factory (1973), the widely photographed coastal housing project La Muralla Roja (1968), and the visionary restoration of Maritxell Sanctuary (1978). However, beyond these well-known works, his portfolio is extensive in typologies, locations, and design approaches, including works ranging from utopian concepts to contemporary offices and universities.
