Shkodra, one of the oldest and most culturally rich cities in Albania, offers a unique environment with its natural landscape and historical heritage. Its architecture reflects its rich and diverse history.
Project Name: Rozafa Tower in Shkodër, Albania
Studio Name: selgascano+FRPO
Date: July 2024
Area: 39000 sqm
From ancient Illyrian and Roman fortifications, through Ottoman and Venetian influences, to neoclassical structures, the city provides a unique architectural context. We always thought in this new proposed tower as being part of this diversity, working to create an addition that enriches the urban landscape, honoring the historical legacy while contributing to the contemporary development of Shkodra. A site-specific design for the new Rozafa Hotel Tower. Let´s see how:
scaled Icon for an urban future, for a human future
The location of the tower is privileged, providing the opportunity to create an architectural icon that not only beautifies the urban skyline but also promotes economic and tourist development both in the city and in the region. Of course that he tower aims to be also a landmark in the world of modern architecture, but, and this is the most important part of our work, without losing the human scale that characterizes the city. The scale of the building is a crucial factor in its design. Despite being a tower, a very meticulous work has been done to ensure that the building is perceived in a human scale in harmony with its surroundings, for the short distance surroundings we mean, for the ordinary people walking around. The success of the tower will be if the people fills that its part of the them, if they adopt it and if finally, it ends belonging to the city, to this city.
shaped by the landscape
The tower features three main facades oriented towards the most significant views of the surrounding landscape in the region: the Albanian Alps to the north-east, the Rozafa Castle and the Drin and Buna rivers to the south, and the Skhodra Lake to the north-west. The shape of the tower has been conceived to take full advantage of the spectacular views of the surrounding area. And in this way each lobe of the building acquires a specific character depending on its orientation and views: Lakeview, Mountainview or Riverview. Residents need to choose which one is the best for them.
vibration, dynamism and light
The geometry of the tower is deliberately vibrating to visually lighten its volume and to create a series of dynamic facades that respond to the surrounding views. This fragmentation also allows for a smoother integration with the urban scale, avoiding the perception of a monolithic mass that could clash with the historical and natural environment. The fracturing of the geometry not only visually lightens the building but also allows for greater penetration of natural light and views from multiple angles. This design decision addresses the need to make the building lighter and less imposing, maintaining a visual and symbolic connection with the key elements of Shkodra’s landscape, but also making the building completely different depending on the moment of the day, transforming it in a timing machine.
sunlight all around, but protected by shadow
The design of the tower is inspired by contemporary architectural trends, but the project also takes into consideration the invariants of architecture, such as sunlight and shadow. The substantially triangular geometry of the plan denies the north orientation: the three facades are oriented to the east, south and west, which ensures sunlight all around the tower.
The warm Mediterranean climate of Shkodra, but very rainy as well, requires a solution of deep facades, which takes advantage of the shade to protect the building from solar radiation in summer and rain in winter. The project avoids the curtain-wall standard solution and proposes a perimeter cushion of outdoor spaces on all floors. These terraces expand the use of homes and hotel rooms, while protecting the interior glass façade. Each of the terraces has a railing and a large parasol on its perimeter, which increase the surface area of shade cast on the interior and give a feeling of protection that makes the terraces more comfortable. In this way, the wonderful surrounding views are ensured, and the building enjoys a perfect energy performance.
the importance of colors
The volume of the tower has been designed based on a collection of planes and horizontal lines of different color tones, which create a sensation of lightness and stylize the mass of the building. All planes are covered with different textures of wood, giving the new tower a natural and pleasant image. The edges of the slabs, the handrails and the parasols are painted in yellows, oranges and light greens, completing the chromatism of the façades. This range of colors has been used in line with the climate and atmosphere of the city, in line with the surrounding landscapes, in line with the skies.
stacked programs
The tower is organized into three programmatic blocks in height: (1) the commercial spaces that occupy the first three floors, (2) the residential area that occupies the next twenty and (3) the hotel that occupies the last seven floors of the building. A level of facilities separates each of the blocks from the one immediately above. This solution reduces the length of the ventilation ducts and avoids concentrating machinery on the roofs. Vertical communications and elevators are dedicated per program. The central core incorporates ducts and service rooms on all floors.
three vertical crevices
The three entrances to the tower -Hotel, Residential and Commercial- are situated on the ground floor in an orderly and differentiated way. The lobed geometry of the floor plan generates three vertical crevices in the volume (to the north, southeast and southwest) that provide a perfect place for situating the entrances. The access to the Hotel occurs underneath the northern crevice, in continuity with the current entrance of the Rozafa Hotel and its drop-off area. The Commercial access is located at the bottom of the southeast crevice, in front of the corner of Bulevard Skënderbeu and Kolë Idromeno Street. The private Residential access to the apartments is placed through the lower part of the southwest crevice, next to the garage ramp, across Vilson Street, in the most secluded area of the entire urban perimeter.
the best possible Residences
The residential areas of the tower are designed to offer comfort, and exceptional views in all directions. The apartments vary in size and layout, adapting to different needs and lifestyles. Each residential unit is oriented to maximize natural light and panoramic views, creating living spaces connected to the environment. The perimeter terraces are protected by usable railings and parasols to expand the interior uses and give each home a special place to enjoy the views, the sun and the breeze. Floors, walls and ceilings are covered with wood of different shades and textures, giving the interior an exceptional warmth. The exterior skin is completely glazed to maximize views and natural light, but at the same time is protected from the exterior by cast shadows.
