Mixed-Use Area with Oculus Created for Sports Event Observation

Architecture firm MVRDV has triumphed in a competition to create a revolutionary sports complex in Tirana, Albania’s capital. Named “The Grand Ballroom,” this visionary project is a component of the Asllan Rusi mixed-use development and features an inventive blend of a sports arena, hotel, residential units, and retail outlets.

The distinctive aspect of The Grand Ballroom is its spherical shape, which facilitates optimal space utilization and enhances the building’s footprint. This arena, accommodating 6,000 seats, is crowned by a hotel and residences, making the most of the sphere’s maximum diameter for increased capacity. By embracing a circular layout, the design eliminates conventional facades, allowing every side to positively contribute to the surrounding area. Furthermore, this shape provides generous space for public plazas and outdoor sports facilities, enriching communal areas. Beneath the sphere, stairs descend to a lower section housing retail shops, cafes, and amenities associated with the arena.

The development features a wealth of intelligent design components, including an internal oculus that grants hotel visitors views of events occurring in the arena from cantilevered amenity spaces. In the residential sections, a double-shell design creates an expansive courtyard garden, providing a peaceful oasis for residents.

Winy Maas, the founding partner of MVRDV, perceives The Grand Ballroom as a motivating landmark that fosters sporting activities and community engagement. He likens the spherical form to traditional sports balls while also drawing influence from enlightenment-era temples and innovative structures such as the geodesic dome. The Grand Ballroom aspires to serve as a contemporary temple of sport and community in the center of Tirana.