oppenheim architecture reveals tirana's college of europe campus

college of europe to open third campus in tirana

Oppenheim Architecture, together with Albanian studio Atelier 4, unveils the design of a third campus for the College of Europe in Tirana. Established on the initiative of the Hague Congress, the school initially opened in Bruges, Belgium, before expanding to Natolin, Poland, in 1992 as a way to support the country and region after the fall of communism in their wish to be part of a unified Europe. Whereas the previous two campuses were housed inside historical structures, the new Tirana campus proposal is the first to be designed specifically for the college, brining new dynamics to the student city. This project follows the opening of the studio’s offices in the Albanian capital.

all renders © MIR

oppenheim architecture taps into history and social fabric

After careful research into Tirana’s history, culture, and emblematic student hub, the team at Oppenheim Architecture recognized that beyond the city’s materials, colors, and textures, the social life is central to its urban fabric. Ground and first floors are almost exclusively occupied by shops, restaurants, and social spaces, acting as urban extensions. Likewise, during the 1991 student protests demanding economic change and resignation of the communist government, the campus of Tirana University, and more specifically the Godina LIRIA building, adjacent to the new College of Europe site, became the heart of the movement where thousands of students took to the roofs and loggias and demanded change. Inspired by this history, the architects envisioned the Tirana campus as more than just a place for students and EU delegates. It would become a hub for social, cultural, and diplomatic exchange between the campus and the public.

proposal for third campus of College of Europe in Tirana

combining albanian culture and EU ideologies

Reflecting EU democratic values, the campus is organized with distinct buildings dedicated to specific programs. A gateway building at the entrance houses public functions like an information center, museum, library, and event space. To the east, adjacent to a sports park, the university building contains classrooms, offices, and lecture halls, while a diplomatic building south of the campus includes a café, meeting rooms, and apartments for visiting diplomats. All buildings are centered around a circular agora’, a concrete dome reminiscent of Albania’s historic bunkers, designed for lectures, addresses, and performances.

the central dome, in a sandy-colored concrete, features arches around its perimeter

The layout for the College of Europe campus in Tirana promotes social interaction, with each floor leading users from the most social to the more private zones. The ground floor acts as a grand foyer that extends outward, connecting the buildings with a covered area and creating green roof terraces as an extension of the sports park. Inside, each building is organized to lead users from public areas to private spaces. Rooftops function as social spaces, while loggias on each floor serve as visual connectors between the buildings, fostering a sense of unity. The ‘agora’, designed with concentric seating, creates a communal experience, allowing for flexible use, from lectures to performances.

To that effect, unlike traditional auditoriums where the public is on one side and the stage on the other, the ‘agora’ organizes the public in concentric seating around a circular stage in a manner evoking ancient Greek theaters. This arrangement allows for a multitude of seating scenarios, each determined by the use of the space. For example, a university lecture or diplomatic address would require 2/3 of the seats to be occupied and a unidirectional use of the stage, however, a contemporary dance performance could have the entirety of the seats taken for a 360 experience of the show.

Oppenheim Architecture highlights the city’s social life

Meanwhile, the choice of materials, colors, and textures is influenced by Tirana’s architectural landscape, Albanian history, and the College of Europe’s EU ideologies. As a result, buildings and terraces are constructed from texturized, dark-red pigmented concrete. Inspired by the ‘Ode to Joy’ music sheet, the design playfully arranges structural and decorative elements, creating a harmonious look while also acting as brise-soleils to help regulate the buildings’ climate. The facades facing the agora are smooth and solid, ready for full-length murals by local artists that will interact with each other visually. The central dome, in a sandy-colored concrete, features arches of different sizes around its perimeter, offering both visual interest and a connection between the interior and exterior spaces.

brise-soleils create playful light and shadow patterns