A huge spherical building stacks apartments above a sports arena

The influential Dutch company MVRDV is known for producing extraordinary designs, including a geological skyscraper and a mixing bowl-like art depot. The latest project follows in this line and will take the form of a striking spherical building containing a sports arena, hotel and homes.

The project, called the Grand Ballroom – after all, the Sphere was already occupied – will be located in Tirana, Albania, and is part of an unprecedented construction boom in the southeastern European country’s capital, including new towers such as the Bond Tower and Hora Vertikale, as well as MVRDV’s own Pyramid of Tirana.

The studio says the Grand Ballroom’s spherical shape is literally inspired by sports balls and has a diameter of more than 100 meters. The spacious interior will be organized in stacked layers. Lower levels will include retail spaces and a 6,000-seat arena for basketball and volleyball games. There will be a hotel above this, allowing guests to enjoy the action taking place below. Further along are apartments in the upper section, arranged around a central courtyard with an oculus looking down on the arena.

At the very top of the building, duplex penthouses open onto private roof terraces, offering panoramic views of the Albanian capital. Part of this upper ring will also house a double-height hotel skybar. A second, glass oculus crowns the sphere, designed to open for natural ventilation.

“The distinctive feature of the design, the spherical shape, achieves much more than just creating an iconic structure along the road connecting the airport to the city center,” MVRDV explains. “By stacking the hotel and residential functions on top of the arena itself, the design accommodates a significant amount of program in a relatively small site. By rounding the building, it avoids creating ‘back facades’ that neglect the surrounding neighborhood. By tapering inwards towards the base of the building, it creates more space for public squares and outdoor sports facilities that can be used by local children. And by tapering inwards at the top, it creates terraces for the residents of the building.’

The project is the winner of a recent competition entry and was created with a consortium consisting of Trema Tech shpk, Likado BV, Albanese Capital Group shpk and BCN Investments BV. We do not yet know when construction is expected to begin.

Source: MVRDV