VALONA HILLS I-CONES
VALONA HILLS I-CONES
2024
Valona
Albania
A building transforms into a place when it embodies its character, aligns with its surroundings, and interprets its soul. Valona is the south—the sea, hills, sun, and light—imbued with a serene, refreshing atmosphere, shaping a sense of belonging that is quintessentially Mediterranean.
The design echoes the intimate scale of the historic urban fabric, where low-rise settlements define the city’s character. The building’s lower portion respects this context, rising gradually with vertical elements that filter light and views, creating a façade that is both solid and permeable—engaging with the pedestrian experience.
The four-storey volume aligns with the urban frontage, reinforcing the town’s Mediterranean essence—open, social, and connected to its surroundings. Plant-covered curves ascend sinuously, shaping terraced gardens that soften the built form and enhance permeability, transforming the architecture into a living, breathing environment.
Meeting spaces and a reduction in density, priorities set by local authorities, lie at the heart of this project. These principles reflect the essence of Albanian culture—community, sharing, and togetherness—values that architecture must honor, shaping a new Albanian renaissance. This transformation, led by an enlightened administration, is redefining the urban landscape, and we are grateful to contribute.
Above, the volumes lift away from the pedestrian’s view, their conical forms dissolving traditional urban fronts. Gentle curvatures soften their presence, evoking a Kandinsky painting—weightless and shifting. These light cones become slender, iconic elements in the city’s skyline, reflecting and refracting southern light, transforming from morning silhouettes to glowing beacons at dusk.
This is not just a building but a place—one to be lived in, enriched with greenery and colour by its inhabitants. It is strong yet essential, embracing local values while opening to the world. This new place in Valona enhances the soul of the city, bringing light and air, reinforcing the sense of freedom experienced in the south, where nature unfolds in its purest form.
