oppenheim architecture breaks ground on tower in central tirana

oppenheim architecture Shapes One of Albania’s Tallest buildings

At the northern edge of Tirana’s historic center, Oppenheim Architecture breaks ground on New Boulevard Tower, a 38-story residential building that will stand among the tallest in Albania. The footprint of this project is anchored by a new public plaza that draws together three of the city’s most significant spatial axes: the park, the boulevard, and the square.

The facade of New Boulevard Tower is built in cast-in-place concrete, using textures and pigments drawn from Tirana’s architectural palette. Throughout the building, wraparound balconies open each apartment to wide views over the city. The top three floors are designed as penthouses, oriented toward the future park.

all visualizations by MIR

local context shapes New Boulevard Tower

The project is led by Oppenheim Architecture’s Tirana studio, where a team of local architects and planners has been steadily contributing to Albania’s evolving built environment. New Boulevard Tower continues that trajectory with a material and spatial language shaped by local context.

The building rises along Northern Boulevard, a newly developed spine that is central to Tirana’s ongoing shift toward more sustainable and pedestrian-centered planning. As part of a long-term city-wide strategy, over 65% of the redesigned urban core is being allocated to foot and cycle traffic. The role of the tower in this transition is less about visual dominance and more about how it connects different layers of urban life, tying public infrastructure to residential programs, and open space to vertical density.

Oppenheim Architecture breaks ground on New Boulevard Tower

green roofs top the project

At street level, the plaza provides a shared ground where public movement converges and overlaps, creating space for everyday use rather than formal programming. ‘This is one of many projects we are delivering in Albania,’ notes Beat Huesler, the firm’s Europe Director. ‘We’re working from our Tirana studio to support the city’s evolution through architecture that reflects place and community.’

The tower also incorporates environmental systems in line with Tirana’s broader ecological ambitions. These include green roofs, energy-efficient infrastructure, and passive design strategies. While relatively modest in appearance, such elements signal a shift in how private development is being aligned with public sustainability goals in the city.

the 38-story residential building will stand among the tallest in Albania