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From Tirana to Monterrey: 8 Unbuilt Housing Projects Reimagining Collective Living

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Collective housing remains one of the most active areas for unbuilt architectural exploration, revealing how architects are rethinking domestic life, density, and shared living across different cultural and environmental contexts. In this curated Unbuilt edition, submitted by the ArchDaily community, the selected proposals investigate new forms of dwelling that span mobile units, vertical developments, adaptive reuse, and landscape-driven residential clusters. Rather than treating housing as a purely functional container, these projects position it as a social and spatial framework that shapes everyday life, community ties, and long-term urban resilience.

Across varied geographies, from Tirana and Athens to Monterrey, Chaloos, Roatán, Bhola, and the DRC, these proposals explore multiple approaches to collective living: transforming industrial shells into residential structures, extending existing masterplans through landscape integration, reimagining verticality in dense urban centers, and developing modular prototypes that can adapt to changing climates or patterns of mobility. Some projects prioritize ecological strategies and local materials, while others test new models for accessibility, community well-being, or incremental urban growth. Together, they reflect a broad spectrum of architectural responses to contemporary housing pressures.

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MVRDV Designs Spherical Landmark for Tirana’s New Asllan Rusi Sports Palace

Tirana, the capital of Albania, is experiencing a rapid transformation driven by the long-term urban strategy outlined in the Tirana 2030 (TR030) Master Plan. Developed in 2017 by Stefano Boeri Architetti, UNLAB, and IND [Inter.National.Design] through a competition organized by the Ministry of Urban Development, the plan's objectives include increasing urban density, improving public infrastructure, and integrating green spaces and open areas into the urban fabric. It is in this dynamic setting that MVRDV has won the international competition for Tirana's new Asllan Rusi Sports Palace. Conceived as a mixed-use development, the project, named The Grand Ballroom, combines a 6,000-seat arena for basketball and volleyball with residential apartments, a hotel, and ground-level retail. With its spherical form exceeding 100 metres in diameter, the design adds a distinctive landmark to Tirana's growing collection of ambitious architectural projects.

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RIBA Stirling Prize Winner and Faith Park in Albania: This Week’s Review

This week's architectural developments highlighted how design operates as a form of social and cultural infrastructure, linking care, community, and context across scales. From London's reinterpretation of the almshouse model to the transformation of urban gateways in Phnom Penh and Tirana, architecture reflected a shared interest in spaces that foster connection and adaptability. Parallel to these urban and infrastructural works, new cultural projects in Paris and Hanoi explored how museums and performance spaces can renew public institutions through material experimentation and spatial flexibility.

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Eduardo Souto de Moura and OODA Reveal Design for a New High-Rise Tower in Tirana, Albania

Eduardo Souto de Moura and OODA have unveiled the design of the Oricon Tower, a 180-meter mixed-use skyscraper planned for Tirana, Albania. Located near OODA's recently completed Bond Tower, the project is part of the city's ongoing transformation under the Tirana 2030 Masterplan, which envisions a denser and more connected urban core. The tower will house offices, residences, retail areas, and a hotel, contributing to the city's evolving skyline and serving as a new urban gateway between Tirana's historic center and its expanding western districts.

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Living Together: 8 Conceptual Projects Rethinking Collective Housing in Sites from Tehran to Tirana

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Collective living continues to be a central theme in contemporary housing discourse, one that extends beyond questions of density or typology to engage broader concerns of land use, social cohesion, and spatial identity. This selection of conceptual unbuilt projects, submitted by the ArchDaily community, explores the potentials of shared living environments, not only as functional housing solutions but as frameworks for interaction, environmental integration, and cultural continuity. Whether in urban or remote settings, they reflect a growing interest in rethinking how domestic space can support both individual privacy and communal life.

Rethinking Urban Living: 8 Conceptual Collective Housing Projects from the ArchDaily Community

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The future of urban life is increasingly being imagined as collective, layered, and adaptable. As cities grow denser and the boundaries between work, home, and leisure blur, architects are rethinking the traditional notion of residential living, shifting from isolated units to integrated, community-driven environments. This collection of unbuilt projects, submitted by the ArchDaily community, reflects this shift: a global exploration into how design can shape more resilient, inclusive, and connected ways of living.

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OMA / David Gianotten Wins Competition to Transform Tirana’s Selman Stërmasi Stadium

OMA/David Gianotten, has won the competition to revitalize the historic Selman Stërmasi Stadium and its surrounding area in central Tirana, Albania. Originally built in 1956, the stadium is now being redesigned to not only expand the existing football grounds but also to foster stronger links between surrounding neighborhoods in Tirana. With the revitalization, the stadium aims to be a key connector between the Blloku and Komune a Parisit neighborhoods.

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Bofill Taller de Arquitectura Designs Mixed-Use Towers and a Seaside Resort in Albania

Architecture has been at the center of a transformation process in Albania, particularly significant in Tirana, its capital city. In 2017, the winning project for the Tirana 2030 Masterplan was unveiled, designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti, UNLAB, and IND [Inter.National.Design] as part of a competition organized by the Ministry of Urban Development. Aiming to give Tirana a new metropolitan dimension while promoting and preserving green spaces, the strategy integrates a system of open spaces, natural elements, and strategic projects at key points in the city. The multidisciplinary Catalan firm Bofill Taller de Arquitectura has contributed to this transformation with two mixed-use towers in Tirana and a resort project in the coastal town of Dhërmi, reflecting the distinctive aesthetic of Ricardo Bofill's work.

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Valerio Olgiati Unveils Rruga Adem Jashari, a New Mixed-Use Development in Tirana, Albania

Swiss architect Valerio Olgiati has unveiled plans for Rruga Adem Jashari, a mixed-use development in Tirana, Albania, that seeks to blend urban living with the surrounding natural landscape. Positioned at the boundary between the city grid and an adjacent park, the project features three distinctive red concrete towers and a central white ziggurat. Combining residential, hospitality, and retail spaces, the development aims to create a seamless connection between the built environment and nature.

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Tirana Reimagined: Architectural Projects Transforming Albania's Capital through Public Engagement

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Tirana, the capital of Albania, is undergoing a remarkable transformation fueled by an ambitious vision for the future outlined in the Tirana 2030 (TR030) Master Plan. This plan, devised by renowned Italian architect Stefano Boeri, aims to reshape the city into a sustainable, green, and inclusive urban hub, with a focus on increasing density while enhancing the quality of life for its residents. Central to this vision are projects such as the creation of an "orbital forest" with two million trees, the revitalization of rivers with green corridors, and the redesign of public spaces like Skanderbeg Square, which has become the largest pedestrian area in the Balkans. According to The Guardian, these initiatives aim to reverse the sprawling urban chaos that followed the fall of communism and accommodate a population that has quadrupled since 1992, while prioritizing quality of life and accessibility.

At the heart of Tirana's transformation is a renewed focus on architecture as a tool for connection, combining cultural identity with contemporary design to create spaces that invite public interaction and engagement. Recent projects announced by renowned architects and international firms including Coldefy, OODA, Oppenheim Architecture, and CHYBIK + KRISTOF showcase a common thread of reimagining the rejuvinated city for the public. These designs emphasize social sustainability, cultural references, and accessible public spaces, redefining how residents and visitors experience Tirana's urban fabric. From mixed-use vertical villages and pedestrian-friendly streets to eco-conscious campuses and civic hubs, these new developments collectively highlight the city's ambition to position itself as a progressive model for urban renewal in the Balkans.

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OODA Unveils Mixed-Use Fragmented Towers in Tirana, Albania

OODA has just revealed its design for a new mixed-use urban development in central Tirana, Albania. Located in the central district of Tirana on Myslym Street, the Ndarja building, represents a new approach to mixed-use urban development, incorporating residential, hospitality, office, and commercial functions within a single structure. The building comprises two distinct sections positioned along their narrow sides, creating a central square that serves as a gathering spot, contrasting the busy surroundings.

Coldefy Wins International Competition to Design Tirana's Public Administration Hub in Albania

The consortium led by the French architecture firm Coldefy, in partnership with Albanian studio Atelier 4, Sempervirens, and Italian firm AEI Progetti, has just won the international competition to design Albania's new Public Administration Cluster in Tirana. This 31,000-square-meter project will bring together over 20 government institutions under one roof, aiming to improve administrative efficiency while fostering greater public accessibility and engagement.

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OODA Breaks Ground on Tetris-Like Mixed-Use Development in Tirana

Portuguese architecture studio OODA has commenced construction on the Hora Vertikale Towers in Tirana, a city renowned for its urban revitalization and architectural innovation. The project aims to contribute to this dynamic landscape as a multi-functional, 55,000-square-meter "vertical village" rising 140 meters tall. The project is designed to also integrate a large-scale green public space, also designed by OODA. The project was first announced earlier this year.

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Oppenheim Architecture Reveals New Vision for College of Europe's Tirana Campus in Albania

Oppenheim Architecture has unveiled the design for the College of Europe's new campus in Tirana, Albania. This project introduces the first "purpose-built" campus for the College, following its established campuses in Bruges, Belgium, and Natolin, Poland. The College of Europe, created under the initiative of the Hague Congress, is dedicated to promoting European ideals of unity, cooperation, and integration. This expansion to Tirana aims to reflect both a continuation of this mission and an opportunity for the College to establish a presence in a historically significant city.

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Steven Holl Architects Wins Competition to Design the Expo Albania Center in Tirana

Following an international competition, Steven Holl Architects has been selected as the winner of the commission for the Expo Albania convention center and hotel in Tirana, Albania. The winning team, comprised of Steven Holl Architects, artist Agnieszka Kurant, Atelier 4, Atelier Markgraph, Stoss, and Arup, proposes an iterative process, collecting signatures from local Tirana communities and fusing them into a single wandering line, a continuation of artist Agnieszka Kurant’s project “End of Signature”.

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OODA Reveals Design for Mixed-Use Vertical Village in Tirana, Albania

OODA has released images of Hora Vertikale, a new project planned for the Albanian capital city incorporating residential units arranged vertically surrounded by a new park and featuring a diverse range of amenities. The design stacks seven types of cubes, each measuring seven stories in height and defined by a distinct visual identity inspired by both urban and rural elements. The project, developed in collaboration with local architects Artech, has received planning permission, and construction is expected to begin in early spring.

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CHYBIK + KRISTOF Wins Competition to Design Multifunctional Tower in Tirana, Albania

CHYBIK+KRISTOF has won an international competition to design a multifunctional tower as a significant part of Tirana’s evolving landscape. The structure is situated in the heart of the capital city’s culture hub within the New Boulevard, reflecting a shift in Tirana’s urban development. With its distinctive red concrete silhouette, it aims to create a new landmark, signaling the commencement of various other projects outlined in the masterplan.

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5 Ways to Create More Liveable Cities: Insights from TV Show "Tale of Two Cities" with Dikshu Kukreja

Cities are the bedrock of civilization. For millennia, they have attracted people with the promise of superior standards of living — from better economic and educational opportunities to easier access to quality public infrastructure such as housing, healthcare, and public transport. Today, however, many cities around the world are finding it challenging to live up to this promise. With urban migration accelerating at a dizzying rate – the United Nations projects that over two-thirds of the world's population will live in cities or urban centers by 2050 – existing resources and services in cities are coming under increasing pressure, rendering them dysfunctional and leading to glaring inequities.

There is no singular way to define or assess liveability; every city has a unique set of characteristics, from its history, culture, geography, and demographics, to how it is governed and what urban issues plague it. Therefore, improving liveability requires concerted efforts from multiple stakeholders including people, governments, and experts, to identify critical problem areas and opportunities, and devise contextual solutions. The TV show Tale of Two Cities, where Indian architect and urbanist Dikshu C. Kukreja sits down with global leaders, brings out great insights into what some major cities in the world are doing to create more liveable environments for their inhabitants. Here we present five examples: from Bogotá, Kolkata, Hannover, Tirana, and Washington, D.C.

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