UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FOR ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
Among the biggest challenges of the 21st century of human life include isolation and the need to increase social interactions, depression, environmental pollution, high consumption of non-renewable energies, lack of time, traffic, etc.
The project proposes a new model of hybrid architecture as a responsive, dynamic and sustainable architecture. A building is alive, it must grow and evolve over time according to its foundation and environment. This results in sustainable architecture that can be a problem solver.
The proposal comes from the needs of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism for new didactic spaces. Designed to accommodate up to 1,500 students, this institution is located on a plot of 18,365 m² in the area of the Former Textile Factory in Tirana also knowun as “Kombinati”. Despite its relative modesty the campus offers a harmonious integration of interior and exterior. The central plaza serves as the focal point of the campus, allowing residents to fully enjoy the outdoor space while fostering social and academic interactions.
The campus coincides with the end of the main axis of the old town of Kombinat. Along the axis lie all the factories of the town, which according to the regulatory plan will be adapted into cultural buildings (museums, cinemas, event halls, etc.)
The proposal consists in dividing the main functions into separate objects. The faculty, which is also the largest facility on campus, offers enough space for 1,500 students: 14 seminar classes, 9 laboratories, 5 lecture halls and libraries, etc. Teaching environments are separated from administrative ones. The dormitory building offers rooms for 208 students, while the ground level is dedicated to the commercial areas necessary for students, (laundry, canteen, cafe, supermarket, etc). Meanwhile, a building has been proposed for the recreational spaces that will offer a sports field and gym.
All the pages of the faculty have been solved with a glass facade that allows a visual connection with the outside environment. A layer of polycarbonate shades is added to the facade that block the sun and allow light to enter the building. The same material is used in the facility for sports facilities, creating a harmony of materials in white color.
The pandemic of COVID-19 also had a strong impact on design. It brought to attention that spaces should be flexible and suitable for all types of situations and events. Thus, to answer this challenge, the ground floor of the faculty is filled with spaces that change depending on the needs.
