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Communist: The Latest Architecture and News

Herzog & de Meuron to Redevelop Tirana's Communist-Era Palace of Congresses

On June 3, 2026, Herzog & de Meuron was selected to revitalize the Palace of Congresses building in Tirana, Albania. The project was designed along with collaborators Julian Beqiri, Marsela Demaj, Michel Desvigne Paysagistes (MDP), ARUP, LDK, Gentian Shkurti, SUEB Industries sh.p.k., The Space Factory Ltd, MBBM, and KLAR sh.p.k. The Palace of Congresses (or Pallati i Kongreseve) was built during the People's Socialist Republic of Albania and opened in 1986 to host the Congresses of the Party of Labour of Albania and other official activities. The International Competition for the Redevelopment of the Palace of Congresses, carried out by the Albanian government, called for a comprehensive transformation of the building while preserving its historical identity. The project should address serious infrastructural issues and bring the Palace to contemporary standards in terms of technology, functionality, and quality of spaces.

Herzog & de Meuron to Redevelop Tirana's Communist-Era Palace of Congresses - Image 1 of 4Herzog & de Meuron to Redevelop Tirana's Communist-Era Palace of Congresses - Image 2 of 4Herzog & de Meuron to Redevelop Tirana's Communist-Era Palace of Congresses - Image 3 of 4Herzog & de Meuron to Redevelop Tirana's Communist-Era Palace of Congresses - Image 4 of 4Herzog & de Meuron to Redevelop Tirana's Communist-Era Palace of Congresses - More Images+ 11

Construction Begins on MVRDV's Renovation Project of the Pyramid, a Brutalist Monument in Tirana, Albania

Construction has begun on MVRDV’s project for the Pyramid of Tirana in Albania, as of February 4th, 2021. Rehabilitating what was once a communist monument, the proposal transforms the brutalist structure into a new hub for Tirana's cultural life. Preserving the concrete shell, the intervention will open the atrium and the surroundings, while a small village of cafes, studios, workshops, and classrooms will permeate the site.

Construction Begins on MVRDV's Renovation Project of the Pyramid, a Brutalist Monument in Tirana, Albania - Image 1 of 4Construction Begins on MVRDV's Renovation Project of the Pyramid, a Brutalist Monument in Tirana, Albania - Image 2 of 4Construction Begins on MVRDV's Renovation Project of the Pyramid, a Brutalist Monument in Tirana, Albania - Image 3 of 4Construction Begins on MVRDV's Renovation Project of the Pyramid, a Brutalist Monument in Tirana, Albania - Image 4 of 4Construction Begins on MVRDV's Renovation Project of the Pyramid, a Brutalist Monument in Tirana, Albania - More Images+ 9