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BIG wins competition to design cultural center in Albania

BIG, Martha Schwartz Landscape, Buro Happold , Speirs & Major, Lutzenberger & Lutzenberger, and Global Cultural Asset Management won the international

Image courtesy of BIG
design competition for a new cultural complex in Albania, consisting of a Mosque, an Islamic Center, and a Museum of Religious Harmony.
BIG said in a press release that the capital Tirana is undergoing an urban transformation which includes the restoration and refurbishment of existing buildings, the construction of a series of new public and private urban structures, and the complete reconceptualization of Scanderbeg Square. This important square is the site of the new cultural complex.
Albania is the crossroads of three major religions: Orthodox Christianity, Catholicism, and Islam, BIG said. With the recent completion of two new churches, all three religions will now have new places of worship in the heart of Tirana. The complex will not only serve the Muslim community, but will educate the public about Islamic values and serve as a beacon for religious tolerance, BIG said.
BIG’s winning entry was selected out of five finalists, including Spanish Architect Andreas Perea Ortega, Architecture Studio from France, Dutch SeARCH and London-based Zaha Hadid.
The buildings’ forms emerge from two intersecting axes and formal requirements: the city grid of Tirana which calls for the proper framing of the square and a coherent urban identity, and orientation of the Mosque’s main wall towards Mecca.
BIG’s proposal incorporates Tirana’s grid by maintaining the street wall and eaves line, yet rotates the ground floor so both the Mosque and the plaza face the holy city of Islam. This transformation also opens up a series of plazas—two minor ones on the sides of the Mosque and a major plaza with a minaret in front—which are semi-covered and serve as an urban extension of the place of worship. By turning the mosque inside out and bringing the program and qualities of the Mosque to a public arena, the religion becomes inclusive and inviting, and the cool shaded urban space can be shared by all.
The mosque can accommodate up to 1,000 people performing their daily prayers. Through the layout of courtyards and public space, the mosque can also expand to accommodate groups of up to 10,000 on special holy days.
The facade with the multitude of rational, rectangular windows finds its inspiration in Islamic mashrabiya screens, which provide shading and privacy while still allowing views out.
The design also includes The Quran Gardens containing all of the plants mentioned in the Quran in the same amount as the number of times they appear in the holy scripture.

This entry was posted by Lynn on Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 at 1:59 pm and is filed under Architecture, Engineering, Historic, Landmarks, Parks and open space, Planning, Politics, Preservation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.