ArTurbina

The theater is an extraordinary important, physical manifestation of love for culture. In a poor country like Albania, building a new theater is perceived as a process of strengthening and reflecting on the future of art. It is therefore required more than to simply design the building, but to create an inspiring architecture with innovative force, rigorous intellect and bold execution. More than twenty years after the fall of the totalitarian regime, the need to invest in a new theater for the young generation became reality. In order to realize this project, we had to channel all the new energy into an inspiring and emancipating building. The aim was to create a cultural podium to develop social life, art, interactive relations and to make building belong to the neighborhood and to the city. The project consists of 3 buildings and 2 existing water tanks, one above the pump room and the other just behind the building at the ground level The urban concept is enforced by a plaza that spans the full length of the arTurbina facade, creating a link with the buildings around. The stage and the plaza communicate through many openings in the facade resulting in a dynamic relationship between the public and the artists during the rehearsals. The plaza is also projected like a variable and reversible space where the public and residents will feel a stronger sense of place and community. Two multi functional stages with 400 and 150 seats auditoriums form different configurations which define stage-auditorium relationship. The urban concept is determined by creating a public space which generates relations between the building and the city. ArTurbina in just 4 months has hosted theater performances, temporary exhibitions, cinema, public debates, fashion shows and other activities. Before the project, the site consisted of an office building, next to it an abandoned industrial hangar and a backyard used informally as a parking lot.