Albania is now witnessing an influx of ambitious projects, many by world-renowned international architects, that begin to redefine the skylines of Tirana and beyond. Albania’s Prime Minister, and former Tirana mayor, Edi Rama, has even pointed out that ‘Albania produces more architecture than the rest of Europe,’ a claim that reflects a construction frenzy that has made architecture one of the most visible symbols of change in the country.

designboom discusses this creative boom with key figures shaping Albania’s transformation, including Stefano Boeri, MVRDV’s Winy Maas, Christian Kerez, Beat Huesler of Oppenheim Architecture, and the team at Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, to explore how global architecture is helping redraw the cultural and urban landscape of the country.

Pyramid of Tirana by MVRDV (read more here) | image © Ossip van Duivenbode

how leadership, planning, and global talent reshape a country

A former artist, Rama prioritized urban revitalization since his mayoral tenure in the early 2000s. He famously beautified drab facades with vibrant colors and cleared illegal structures, setting the stage for larger transformations. After becoming prime minister, Rama launched the Tirana of the New Generation initiative in 2014, personally inviting 32 international architects to reimagine the capital. Around the same time, Tirana’s government commissioned Italian architect and urban planner Stefano Boeri to craft the Tirana 2030 Master Plan, envisioning sustainable growth, vertical development, and a massive ‘orbital forest.’ Boeri describes the city as ‘the most interesting and up-to-date, and therefore the most controversial and debatable, museum of contemporary architecture in the world,’ arguing that the sheer number and speed of projects have turned Tirana into an urban school of architecture in real time. ‘Our studio Stefano Boeri Architetti, which, in addition to the 2030 Master Plan, has already completed six buildings for Tirana and is building and designing another six, is therefore now fully involved, both as a student and as a teacher, in this International Urban School of Architecture,’ he tells us.

Swiss architect Christian Kerez compares the rapid transformation of the country to early-2000s China, noting, ‘You feel an energy and vitality, which is not abstract, but you can feel in the daily life.’ What sets Albania apart, he shares with designboom, is that the transformation is curated from the top: ‘It is curated by the highest governmental official, the prime minister, Edi Rama. He is personally supervising the architectural projects for all large and exposed plots.’

Today, a mix of completed landmarks, active construction sites, and visionary proposals illustrates Albania’s unique creative surge. From repurposed communist monuments to futuristic towers and ‘vertical villages,’ these projects showcase a country in architectural flux. 

Red Sol Resort by Bofill Taller de Arquitectura (read more here) | image courtesy of the architects

Built Landmarks

MVRDV’s transformation of the former Pyramid of Tirana into a vibrant youth cultural center is one of the most symbolic of Albania’s design renaissance. The brutalist landmark was preserved and reactivated with colorful, climbable structures that house tech classrooms and public gathering spaces, a clear nod to the power of adaptive reuse. Winy Maas, co-founder of the international architecture and urbanism office, reflects on this reinvention as a gesture of pride and contextual storytelling. ‘With the Pyramid of Tirana, we monumentalized the history of the building and its changed relationship with Tirana’s citizens,’ he reflects. Topped out in 2020, Downtown One, also by MVRDV, soars with cantilevered balconies shaped into a pixel map of the country – a literal vertical Albania. ‘Our projects near Skanderbeg Square make direct references to Albania’s history and geography – Downtown One with its map, the Skanderbeg Building with the statue of the former hero,’ Maas tells us.

Elsewhere in the city, built projects reveal how this architectural shift extends into public space, everyday life, and symbolic form. Stefano Boeri’s Blloku Cube introduces a compact yet highly visible intervention in Tirana’s once-restricted district, using iridescent surfaces and transparency to signal the transformation of the area into a hub for the creative economy. At the civic scale, 51N4E’s redesign of Skanderbeg Square performs a more radical act by removing traffic altogether, reshaping the city’s central plaza into a pedestrian landscape where architecture recedes in favor of collective use, ceremony, and urban calm.

This logic of hybridity carries through Archea Associati’s Air Albania Stadium, where sport, commerce, and hospitality are compressed into a single composition. Nearby, Studio Libeskind’s Magnet Residences extend symbolic thinking into the domestic realm, abstracting the Albanian eagle into curving residential forms organized around shared green spaces.

Stefano Boeri’s Blloku Cube (read more here) | image courtesy of the architects

Approved & Under Construction

A generation of next-wave architecture is rising across Tirana and beyond. BIG’s design for the new National Theatre broke ground in 2022 and introduces a dramatic bowtie-shaped cultural facility that anchors a new arts quarter. OODA’s Hora Vertikale rethinks the tower as a vertical neighborhood, stacking 13 modular volumes into a staggered, plant-covered form. Mount Tirana, designed by CEBRA, abstracts the silhouette of Albania’s mountains into a jagged vertical profile that could one day become the country’s tallest structure. 

Steven Holl’s Expo Albania reimagines a conventional convention center as a sculptural pair of signature buildings linked by landscape and light. Oppenheim Architecture, deeply embedded in Albania’s urban evolution, is advancing the New Boulevard Tower and the Vlora Beach Tower. ‘Albania’s creative boom carries a remarkable openness, a moment where the spirit of place is being rediscovered while the country transforms at great speed. What compels us as international practitioners is the chance to learn from context and to build with the land not on the land, embracing honesty in materials and the quiet power already present,’ notes Beat Huesler, director of the team at Oppenheim Architecture Europe. ‘Our work there seeks a kind of silent monumentality, architecture that responds to this energy with humility and clarity, allowing the landscape and culture to lead.”

Christian Kerez emphasizes that realizing these designs requires long-term commitment. ‘It is easy to make a rendering and very hard and difficult to build,’ he says. ‘We always follow closely the steps from concept design to site supervision.’ This level of dedication led him to open an office in Albania, where he now spends half his time.

New Boulevard Tower by Oppenheim Architecture (read more here) | rendering by MIR

Visionary Proposals

Some of the most speculative and exhilarating designs remain on the drawing board. MVRDV’s Grand Ballroom, a spherical sports arena wrapped in apartments, challenges the typology of stadiums by merging culture, housing, and entertainment into one orbital gesture. For Maas, it is another part of Tirana’s urban narrative: ‘The Grand Ballroom acts as another part of the Tirana collection, showing the city’s ambitions and creating another landmark.’

Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, whose recent and forthcoming work spans the Albanian Riviera and the capital, engages both topography and skyline without imposing a singular formal language. The studio frames its Albanian projects as site-specific responses to radically different landscapes, from steep coastal cliffs to dense urban contexts. ‘The landscapes of Albania are all completely different,’ the architects note, ‘so naturally each project is approached in a completely different manner. We want to find the unique spirit of a place, and in Albania we have been given the freedom to do this.’ This attitude underpins a body of work that resists iconic repetition in favor of contextual continuity. ‘There has always been the temptation for an architect to plant their flag over the landscape,’ the team tells designboom. ‘We don’t approach architecture in this way. We aim for buildings that are of their context and actively looking to improve it, whether that’s bettering access, encouraging wildlife, or providing social space for the community.’

Boeri describes these proposals as part of Tirana’s unique urban ecosystem. ‘Ideas are transformed into urban artifacts with unexpected speed. Mineral artifacts, traversed by everyday life.’ he shares with us.

MVRDV’s Grand Ballroom (read more here) | image © Antonio Luca Coco, Angelo La Delfa, Luana La Martina, Jaroslaw Jeda, Stefano Fiaschi, Ciprian Buzdugan

building identity in real time

Almost every architect designboom spoke with pointed to the role of Edi Rama as an unprecedented figure in contemporary development. As Christian Kerez observes, ‘What is different from any country I know about this process of transformation is that it is curated by the highest governmental official (…) He is personally supervising the architectural projects for all large and exposed plots.’ For many, this direct involvement has helped turn architectural competitions and urban policy into a live cultural project. Bofill Taller de Arquitectura describes the boom as ‘a moment of rebirth’ enabled by Rama’s leadership, a system that ‘allows and values creative freedom.’

Winy Maas highlights how Albania offers national identity expressed through architecture. ‘Instead of producing safe, boring buildings that make every city look the same, Albania is incentivising creative innovation,’ he tells designboom. But he also sees deeper implications. The creative boom, he argues, is not just about buildings but about pride and cultural presence within Europe. ‘How does a country like Albania maintain its individual identity in a Union that features so many wealthier, larger, more populous nations? Architecture is one way.’ he tells designboom. Stefano Boeri, too, frames Albania as a model for international practice: ‘Tirana and Albania are now a real-time laboratory for the most advanced ideas in contemporary architecture… a true School where architecture can be simultaneously learned and taught.’

SIMA Tower by Christian Kerez

campus for the College of Europe by Oppenheim Architecture (read more here) | all renders © MIR

Bjarke Ingels Group’s Faith Park (read more here) | visualization © Beauty and the Bit

Steven Holl Architects’ Expo Albania (read more here) | render by the architects

Hora Vertikale by OODA (read more here) | image © Plomp

Papuli Tower by Bofill Taller de Arquitectura

Mount Tirana by CEBRA (read more here) | image courtesy of the architects

CHYBIK + KRISTOF (CHK)’s ODA Tirana (read more here) | image courtesy of the architects

Veterinary Hospital in Tirana by Davide Macullo Architects (read more here) | image courtesy of the architects

Tirana’s Selman Stërmasi Stadium revitalization by OMA (read more here) | image courtesy of OMA

Valona Hills I-Cones by Davide Macullo Architects

Archi-Tectonics’ Festival City (read more here) | visualizations © Archi-Tectonics

Tirana 2030 by Stefano Boeri

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At Manchester International Festival 2025, Football City, Art United takes over Aviva Studios with an ambitious group exhibition that pairs eleven international footballers with artists across disciplines, from painting and sculpture to sound, video, performance, and architectural installation. The show, co-curated by Juan Mata, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and Josh Willdigg, explores what football and art can learn from each other, inviting audiences to rethink the cultural potential of both fields. The works are on view through August 24th, 2025.

Set inside Aviva Studios, the landmark cultural venue designed by OMA, the exhibition unfolds across its vast, industrial interiors. A towering green banner by Alvaro Barrington and Brazilian football icon Raí cuts across the main hall, while Philippe Parreno and Marco Perego transform the memory of home into a playable video game, layered with sketches and voices.

Among the more spatial and interactive works is The Playmaker, created by Stefano Boeri Architetti with Sandro Mazzola and artist Eduardo Terrazas. Composed of cylindrical arenas punctuated by circular openings and graphic patterns, the installation encourages movement through a reinterpretation of Mazzola’s iconic plays.

Stefano Boeri and Eduardo Terrazas x Sandro Mazzola, The Playmaker Sketch, 2025. Courtesy of Stefano Boeri Architetti | images courtesy of Factory International, unless stated otherwise

Football City, Art United pairs artists and footballers

Each work dives deep into the personal, mythological, and political layers of the sport. British artist Ryan Gander collaborates with Eric Cantona on a three-part installation that explores fame, solitude, and legacy, including a spotlight that tracks gallery-goers like a star player under pressure. Elsewhere, Keiken and Ella Toone invite participants to ‘wear’ a large spirit-animal mask, while listening to Toone’s reflections on introspection, routine, and personal transformation. Suzanne Lacy teams up with Vivianne Miedema and Ali Riley to spotlight the lived experiences of women footballers, blending documentary interviews and shared testimony into a filmic space for dialogue.

While some projects channel surrealism and play, like the flamboyant football mascot Brody, created by Bárbara Sánchez-Kane and Jorge Campos, others lean into introspection and memory. Jill Mulleady animates a holographic portrait of Diego Maradona in a haunting, dreamlike tribute to his status in global football mythology. In another quiet moment, Rose Wylie’s colorful drawings, made in response to an image diary by Lotte Wubben-Moy, spill over into Water Street as billboard-sized homages to women’s football and its growing visibility.

Originally launched at MIF23 as The Trequartista – Art and Football United, this expanded edition of Football City, Art United continues a wider curatorial vision to explore how sport and contemporary art can collide in unexpected ways. With its mix of nostalgia, critique, and imagination, the show becomes a field of cultural reflection, where the rules are fluid and the goals are open-ended.

Football City, Art United takes over Aviva Studios with an ambitious group exhibition

Ryan Gander x Eric Cantona, Until death let us be immortal, 2025. Photo/ Ryan Gander Studio. © Ryan Gander. Courtesy the artist

Football City, Art United. at Manchester International Festival 2025 | image by David Levene

Brody by Mexican artist and fashion designer Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, inspired by legendary goalkeeper Jorge Campo

Diego Maradona as Jill Mulleady remembers him

Rose Wylie Woman Footballer 2019 ® Rose Wylie | image by Anna Arca, courtesy the artist and David Zwirner

Image: Keiken x Ella Toone, The Divine Puppeteer, 2025. Courtesy of Keiken

Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan and Shinji Kagawa collaborate on a manga

Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan x Shinji Kagawa , Intangibles — Running Through Time, 2025 | courtesy the artist

project info:

name: Football City, Art United

festival: Manchester International Festival 2025

location: Aviva Studios – Factory International | @factory_international, Manchester, UK

curators: Juan Mata, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Josh Willdigg

dates: July 5th – August 24th, 2025

producer: Factory International

participating artists and footballers: Alvaro Barrington + Raí, Stefano Boeri + Sandro Mazzola + Eduardo Terrazas, Ryan Gander + Eric Cantona, Keiken + Ella Toone, Suzanne Lacy + Vivianne Miedema + Ali Riley, Jill Mulleady (inspired by Diego Maradona), Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan + Shinji Kagawa, Philippe Parreno + Marco Perego + Zoe Saldaña, Paul Pfeiffer + Edgar Davids, Bárbara Sánchez-Kane + Jorge Campos, Rose Wylie + Lotte Wubben-Moy

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Following his groundbreaking Bosco Verticale in Milan and the social housing version in Eindhoven, Stefano Boeri Architetti‘s Wonderwoods Vertical Forest blossoms in Utrecht (find designboom’s previous coverage here), the tallest of its kind in the Netherlands. Rising 104 meters above the Beurskwartier district, the green tower is described by the studio as a ‘building/city’ and a complex ecosystem. The project continues Boeri’s decade-long pursuit of architecture that nurtures biodiversity, public life, and environmental responsibility.

Located near Utrecht’s central station, Wonderwoods is part of a two-tower development designed in collaboration with MVSA Architects. Stefano Boeri Architetti’s Vertical Forest tower is an evolving habitat made of 360 trees and 50,000 plants across its terraces and balconies. ‘Our Vertical Forest in Utrecht is a fundamental stage in the research we are carrying out all over the world,’ says Boeri. ‘The building hosts a combination of considerable vegetal biodiversity and a wide range of functions, including exhibitions, commercial, tertiary, and residential uses, as well as hospitality options. It will be a real building/city as well as a rich and complex ecosystem.’

all images by Lorenzo Masotto, unless stated otherwise

Wonderwoods is a living tower that breathes

True to its name, Stefano Boeri’s Vertical Forest building actively supports non-human life. The Milan-, Shanghai- and Tirana-based architecture studio punctuates the facades with circular openings that are used as nesting spaces for native bird species. The selection of 30 local plant species changes the appearance of the facades over the course of the year. This living skin responds to light, temperature, and plant growth, making the tower an expressive participant in the urban environment rather than a static object.

Constructed using a novel prefabrication system for both balconies and facades, the tower marks a first for this typology. It rotates along its vertical axis in four superimposed ‘orders’, aligning with sunlight and views rather than the rigid street grid of Croeselaan. This gesture enables a physical connection at the seventh floor with the neighboring MVSA building, where a green pedestrian bridge hosts restaurants and panoramic views. Below, a water management system reclaims and filters rainwater for sustainable reuse.

Stefano Boeri Architetti’s Wonderwoods Vertical Forest blossoms in Utrecht | image ©Milan Hofmans

part of a broader architectural vision

The building’s ground floor and basement host public spaces and ample bicycle parking, while its upper levels combine offices, fitness areas, and a network of duplex apartments that double as residential ateliers. Designed as a fully pedestrian zone, the surrounding area integrates sustainable systems such as a subterranean reservoir that captures, reclaims, and manages rainwater. Following the Trudo Vertical Forest social housing project in Eindhoven, Wonderwoods becomes the first of Boeri’s green towers in the Netherlands to include public-facing amenities, advancing his vision for accessible, ecologically engaged architecture as part of the city’s everyday life.

Inside, more than apartments, many of them duplexes, are designed for diverse occupants, with generous outdoor spaces and smart greenery management systems that monitor irrigation and schedule pruning. The lower floors accommodate public amenities, including bicycle parking, fitness areas, and commercial spaces, reinforcing the building’s role as a vertical neighborhood.

The Wonderwoods Vertical Forest, in line with Stefano Boeri Architetti’s broader architectural vision, represents a new way of thinking about how cities and nature can coexist. By winning the MIPIM Award, the project has been recognized for its forward-thinking approach to sustainable urban living. A decade after Milan’s Bosco Verticale showed the world that greenery can be an integral part of high-rise architecture, Wonderwoods carries that idea forward. 

rising 104 meters above the Beurskwartier district | image ©Milan Hofmans

a green pedestrian bridge hosts restaurants and panoramic views

the green tower is described by the studio as a ‘building/city’ | image ©Milan Hofmans

an evolving habitat made of 360 trees and 50,000 plants | image ©Milan Hofmans

30 local plant species change the appearance of the facades | image ©Milan Hofmans

lush terraces and balconies | image ©Milan Hofmans

Wonderwoods is part of a two-tower development

this living skin responds to light, temperature, and plant growth

an expressive participant in the urban environment

Wonderwoods becomes the first of Boeri’s green towers in the Netherlands to include public-facing amenities

project info:

name: Wonderwoods Vertical Forest

architect: Stefano Boeri Architetti | @stefanoboeriarchitetti

location: Utrecht, the Netherlands

height: 104 meters

partner + project director: Francesca Cesa Bianchi

developer: G&S& | @gensamsterdam

local architect: INBO | @inboarchitects

collaborating tower design: MVSA Architects | @mvsa_architects

landscape design (facades): Laura Gatti | @studiolauragatti

landscape design (roofs): ARCADIS Landschapsarchitectuur

structural engineering: Van Rossum

general contractor: Boele & van Eesteren

landscape contractor: Koninklijke Ginkel Groep

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As Milan prepares to host the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the city is undergoing a transformative moment. A lineup of high-profile projects is reshaping the city’s skyline, driven by renowned firms such as Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM), Kengo Kuma & Associates, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), and Stefano Boeri Architetti. Notable projects include SOM’s Olympic Village, which integrates green public spaces with the historic Porta Romana Railway Yard, and David Chipperfield‘s elliptical Arena Santa Giulia, a modern amphitheater set to host major Olympic events. BIG’s CityWave will introduce Europe’s largest urban solar canopy, while Kengo Kuma’s biophilic Welcome project will bring biophilic workspaces to the Rizzoli district.

Alongside these marquee projects, the city is seeing a number of smaller yet significant changes ahead of 2026. The recent opening of the M4 Metro promises to enhance urban mobility, while the city’s controversial decision to replace parts of its bumpy, uneven cobblestone streets with smoother, pedestrian-friendly surfaces should marks a more accessible shift in infrastructure. A major public policy change includes a new outdoor smoking ban within ten meters (33 feet) of others. This new architecture and infrastructure reflects efforts to improve the quality of life for both residents and visitors, and improve the fabric of Milan as it prepares to take center stage for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

CityLife district | image by Beauty and the Bit

OLYMPIC VILLAGE, skidmore owings & merrill (SOM)

In July 2021, SOM was announced the winner of an international competition to design the Athletes’ Village for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Forming part of a larger masterplan to revitalize Porta Romana Railway Yard in Milan, the winning scheme prioritizes sustainable building strategies and establishing a new urban community that will long outlast the olympic games.

The project by Skidmore Owings & Merill (SOM) comprises public green spaces, two renovated historic structures and six new residential buildings that will house athletes during the Olympics. Once the games are over, the spaces will be converted and reused. The athletes’ accommodation will be used for student housing, the park and railway-side buildings will become affordable housing, and the Olympic Village Plaza will turn into a neighborhood square with social functions like shops and cafés. There will also be outdoor space for farmers’ markets and community events. The Olympic Village is expected to be complete by July 2025.

Olympic Village, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Parco Romana | image © SOM

arena santa giulia, DAVID CHIPPERFIELD

Arup and David Chipperfield‘s Berlin office are developing a stadium in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games with an elliptical shape inspired by amphitheaters. The sports and cultural venue will form the centerpiece of Milan‘s new Santa Giulia neighborhood in the southeast of the city. Named Arena Santa Giulia, the stadium will have a 16,000-person capacity and is set to be complete by 2025.

David Chipperfield Architects looked to the archetype of the amphitheater for the elliptical shape of the building but added metallic materials and dynamic forms for a modern reinterpretation. The architecture is articulated by three ‘floating’ rings separated by glass bands. During the day, these rings will be characterized by shimmering aluminum tubes while LED strips will light the building up at night.

Arena Santa Giulia, David Chipperfield Architects, Santa Giulia district | images © Onirism Studio

lighthouse tower, ACPV Architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel

International architecture and interior design practice ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel unveiled the design for this Torre Faro, or Lighthouse, in August 2021. Set to house the new Milan headquarters of Italian company A2A, the project reimagines the company’s office spaces as capable of adapting to people’s ever-changing needs at work. The 144-meter-high office tower will revive the local urban fabric of the Symbiosis business district with 6,320 square meters of new green public spaces.

The new tower will accommodate 1,500 people in spaces that are flexible, open, and are complemented by a green courtyard. Vertically, the tower is centrally divided into two sets of office floors framed by the spacious entrance hall on the first floor, the sky garden in the middle, and a belvedere on top. With the project, the architects address future professional needs by integrating flexible spaces — including co-working lounges and meeting rooms — that can be reconfigured for multiple uses.

Lighthouse, ACPV, Symbiosis business district | image © ACPV

welcome, Kengo Kuma & Associates

A biophilic development designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates broke ground in March 2021. Titled ‘Welcome’, the mixed-use project is located in Milan‘s former Rizzoli district, previously an abandoned industrial area. Anchored around a newly established public piazza, the project seeks to act as a catalyst to revive the entire area — uniting people and nature for a better quality of life and work. Once complete, KKAA‘s project will include offices, co-working spaces, meeting rooms, and auditoriums, as well as restaurants and lounges, shops, a supermarket, a wellness area, and places for temporary exhibitions.

Welcome, Kengo Kuma and Associates, Rizzoli district | image © KKAA

citywave, bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)

Bjarke Ingels Group begun construction on its sweeping CityWave building in Septmeber 2021 as part of the existing CityLife District in Milan. The project will host a new office space for the ever-evolving Italian city, and will become an iconic element of the area’s regeneration efforts, with its gestural and high-tech roof structure. The project will mark the fourth building of the site, which already contains towers by Zaha Hadid Architects, Daniel Libeskind, and Arata Isozaki. Here, the team aims to introduce an improved quality of life along with sustainable building.

With its monumental roof, the team at Bjarke Ingels Group notes that it will bring what will likely be the largest urban integrated solar canopy in Europe — estimated to produce an annual 1,200-megawatt hours of power. Upon its completion, CityWave will seek to represent the workplace of future. 

Citywave, Bjarke Ingels Group, Citylife district | image © BIG

Pirelli 39, diller scofidio + renfro and stefano boeri architetti

The collaborative team of Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) and Stefano Boeri Architetti (SBA) has been chosen to regenerate a site at the center of Milan’s Porta Nuova Gioia district. The mixed-use project — referred to as ‘Pirelli 39’ — involves the renovation of the site’s existing ‘Pirellino’ office tower, and the construction of a new residential high-rise that will include 1,700 square meters of integrated vegetation. Finally, a bridge connecting the two structures will serve as a hub for events, shows, and exhibitions. This bridge will also house a biodiverse greenhouse that will offer immersive, educational experiences as a dedicated laboratory.

It is expected that the tower by DS+R and SBA will absorb fourteen tons of CO2 and produce nine tons of oxygen per year — comparable to a 10,000 square meter forest. Thanks to 2,770 square meters of photovoltaic panels, the tower will be able to produce 65% of its energy needs, while the use of structural wood will decrease its carbon footprint.

Pirelli 39, Diller Scofidio + Renfro & Stefano Boeri Architetti, Porta Nuova Gioia district | rendering by Aether Images

PADEL PAVILION, FABIO NOVEMBRE

Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Fabio Novembre has designed the new Padel Pavilion, an innovative sports center located in Milan’s CityLife district’s park. The building aligns visually with the existing architecture, especially with the gentle curves of Bjarke Ingels Group’s CityWave project, together forming a sort of gateway from the northeast. The structure is characterized by a 17-meter curved overhang, inviting park visitors toward the entrance.

The pavilion by Fabio Novembre Studio will stand twelve meters tall and span 2,800 square meters, housing seven padel courts. Inside, there will be a refreshment area and a raised multifunctional space offering a prime view of the sports activities.

Padel Pavilion, Novembre Studio, CityLife district | image © Novembre Studio

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Stefano Boeri Architetti‘s ‘Urban Oasis’ masterplan has been chosen to revitalize a former industrial area in Bratislava, Slovakia. The project will create a new central hub for the city through a large public park surrounded by green buildings. The winning design was chosen in an international competition for the development of the Chalupkova district, a three-hectare area near Bratislava’s historic center and Danube River. Despite its prime location, Chalupkova has remained largely abandoned for decades. The Urban Oasis project aims to transform it into a thriving neighborhood with contemporary architecture and a focus on sustainability.

Bratislava is set to gain a new central hub with this ‘Urban Oasis’ district | images © Stefano Boeri Architetti

an ‘urban oasis’ in bratislava

The centerpiece of Stefano Boeri Architetti’s masterplan in Bratislava is a large public park. Bordering the park will be a mix of residential buildings, including a skyscraper and four mid-rise structures offering a total of 1,300 apartments. The project emphasizes a variety of housing options to cater to a diverse range of residents. The winning proposal is said to have stood out for its ‘European matrix,’ referencing traditional stone and brick facades integrated with greenery. This approach was praised by the jury in contrast to proposals from other firms that leaned towards a more modern aesthetic.

Architect and studio founder Stefano Boeri sees the Urban Oasis as a model for the ‘Archipelago metropolis.’ This concept envisions neighborhoods as self-sufficient hubs with clean energy production, diverse functions, and a strong connection to nature. Pietro Chiodi, partner at Stefano Boeri Architetti, highlights the project’s focus on creating a high-quality public space while also considering factors like noise pollution and sunlight optimization. The park is designed to be a flexible and attractive space that also contributes to regulating the microclimate of the neighborhood.

Stefano Boeri Architetti wins the competition to revitalize Bratislava’s former industrial area

sustainable design principles

For the team at Stefano Boeri Architetti, sustainability is a major theme in Bratislava’s Urban Oasis project. Pedestrian and bicycle paths will be prioritized throughout the development, while car use will be discouraged. Solar panels will contribute to the neighborhood’s energy needs, and green roofs and permeable pavements will manage rainwater runoff. Construction is expected to begin in 2026, with the first phase focusing on residential development. The entire project is expected to take approximately ten years to complete.

Juraj Nevolník, executive director of Penta Real Estate, the developer behind the project, sees the Urban Oasis as a catalyst for Bratislava’s growth. He believes the project’s international acclaim reflects the city’s growing importance and potential.

a large public park will be the centerpiece of the new district in Bratislava

a mix of residential buildings with a total of 1,300 apartments are planned

construction of Bratislava’s ‘Urban Oasis’ district expected to begin in 2026

project info:

project title: Urban Oasis

architecture: Stefano Boeri Architetti | @stefanoboeriarchitetti
founding partner: Stefano Boeri
partner in charge: Pietro Chiodi
design team: Davide Antolini, Agostino Bucci, Paolo D’Alessandro, Mohamed Hassan Elgendy Riccardo Gilioli, Klodiana Kajmaku, Andrea Spadoni (Bim Manager), Gabriella Coletta
landscape: Eelco Hooftman, Barbora Micovska, Federica Righetti
client: Penta Real Estate

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The satellite office of Stefano Boeri Architetti in China has won the competition for the Culture CBD Modern Technology Experience Center, a museum designed to become a major scientific and cultural hub for the city and its visitors. The winning design draws inspiration from both the ancient origins of the city of Xi’an, the capital of China‘s Shaanxi province, and the local natural landscape characterized by a winding system of rivers and mountains. The architects aim to create a permeable and publicly accessible system capable of activating new urban connections on various levels.

images © Stefano Boeri Architetti

reshaping the public realm of xi’an

Stefano Boeri Architetti’s museum project fits into a sequence of public spaces and addresses the park and the city of Xi’an with distinct strategies. Its north facade, facing the park, recalls the natural element through its curves and is clad with vertical metal slats. The south facade, facing the city, is clad with horizontal slats of glass fiber-reinforced concrete (GRC) for high durability and improved mechanical properties.

‘The Xi’an museum will be an architecture open to all, designed to activate a process of urban regeneration in the area and involve a wide audience — from technology enthusiasts to children and students,’ architect Stefano Boeri comments. ‘A place of study, in-depth analysis, research and technological innovation, in the heart of one of the most important cities in Chinese history.’

Stefano Boeri Architetti’s China office wins the design competition for the Xi’an Museum of Technology

the terraced rooftop gardens

The Xi’an museum project will be recognized at once by its green roof, which Stefano Boeri Architetti has designed to feature a hanging garden. The garden will be a continuation of the park, and will take shape with a system of terraces that allows visitors to climb up the building and gain a new perspective on the surrounding cityscape. The steps and green terraces will be an integral part of the museum’s cultural program of events — the different areas will host screenings, activities, shows and performances — as well as offering citizens a new outdoor public space with unique views of the park and the city. Meanwhile, the green design for the hanging garden includes six main species of trees — including Ginko Biloba, Acer Pictum and Pinus Bungeana — twelve types of shrubs and twelve of herbaceous perennials, selected from the local essences typical of the Chinese natural landscape.

the design is inspired by both Xi’an’s ancient past and its landscape of winding rivers and mountains

interior galleries of deep blue

Inside, the museum is organized between four main exhibition spaces, a temporary exhibition space, and commercial areas. A central double-height atrium connects the different areas and guarantees complete accessibility and usability, according to the principles of ‘Design for All.’ The specific shade of blue, highly saturated and luminous, already widespread in the fields of digital art and design, has been chosen as the representative chromatic element of the project and characterizes the public areas and exhibition spaces, as well as the signage elements and land art works in the park.

‘In addition to public involvement and interaction, the project has paid particular attention to the use of multimedia and digital content and their dissemination,’ adds Yibo Xu, Partner of Stefano Boeri Architetti China. ‘The museum will play an important role in shaping future exhibition scenarios and imagining new ways of producing and exhibiting art.’ 

the project aims to be a public hub and act as a catalyst for urban renewal
the interior layout features four main exhibition spaces, a temporary exhibition space, and commercial areas

a deep blue color scheme will be a signature element throughout the museum

project info:

project title: Culture CBD Modern Technology Experience Center

architecture: Stefano Boeri Architetti China | @stefanoboeriarchitetti

location: Xi’an, China

founding partner: Stefano Boeri

partner: Yibo Xu

design team: Pietro Chiodi (Director), Yifan Liu, Yinxin Bao, Xinyue Liu, Taimuzi Fu, Yifan Fei, Zhifei Yao, Changjiang Zhang, Qingxuan Yu, Yitao Huang, Mohamed Hassan Ali Elgendy

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Stefano Boeri Architetti‘s new project aims to revitalize the revered Ramagrama Stupa in Nepal, a site of profound importance in Buddhism. The initiative seeks to honor and preserve this historical and spiritual landmark while creating a space for prayer, meditation, and peaceful contemplation. Ramagrama, nestled in the Parasi district of Nepal, holds immense importance as an archaeological site housing a portion of Buddha’s relics under an ancient Bodhi Tree. This site, located just 50 kilometers east of Lumbini, Buddha’s birthplace, represents a precious cultural and religious hub for Buddhism. The current green mound of the Ramagrama Stupa, adorned by the centuries-old tree Bodhi Tree, signifies unity and harmony in Buddhist teachings through its integration of various plant species.

Working in collaboration with local stakeholders and adhering to UNESCO’s guidelines for heritage conservation, the architects seek to enhance the site’s prominence while ensuring its sustainable preservation. The architectural plan unfolds as a pilgrimage, guiding visitors through a sequence of spaces that accentuate the Stupa’s symbolism. It includes monumental gateways marking cardinal directions and a central ‘Peace Meadow’ designed for contemplation. Surrounding this area are cultural spaces and meditation zones enveloped by the lush Biodiversity Ring Garden.

the Biodiversity Ring Garden takes shape as a sloped garden featuring 80,000 plants

one of the most significant ongoing heritage projects in Nepal

Stefano Boeri Architetti’s masterplan for the Ramagrama Stupa was unveiled during a significant ceremony attended by Buddhist monks, government officials, and the public, introducing a balanced integration of nature and architectural design. The scheme features a central ‘Peace Meadow,’ 600 meters in diameter, covering an open space for contemplation, reminiscent of the symbolic essence of a mandala. Encircled by the Biodiversity Ring Garden, this sizable meadow is flanked by spaces for cultural activities, meditation, and necessary facilities, creating a circular layout conducive to quiet reflection. The Biodiversity Ring Garden, designed with a slope, encompasses 80,000 plants from 70 different species indigenous to the Terai plain, where Buddha was born. Ending in a raised circular pathway shaded by trees, this garden offers a comprehensive view of the Ramagrama Stupa.

this green space symbolizes the unity and harmony intrinsic to Buddhist teachings

Addressing local climatic conditions, particular attention has been given to shading the pedestrian paths, ensuring that monks and visitors can utilize the space comfortably at all times of the day and throughout various seasons. The project pays tribute to Kenzo Tange’s work while incorporating locally sourced materials, echoing the region’s architectural tradition and reducing environmental impact. To accentuate the site’s unique essence, the project proposes a gradual approach featuring a sequence of spaces that highlight the symbolic importance of the Ramagrama Stupa. This progression begins with four grand portals marking the four access directions leading up to the central hill, aimed at enhancing the perception of the site’s genuine uniqueness. ‘This project represents an extraordinary challenge for us: that of creating a meaningful center for prayer, meditation and peace in one of the most sacred sites of Buddhism,’ shares the team. ‘Due to its truly universal value and collaborative nature across cultures and nations, this project will become one of the most significant ongoing cultural heritage projects in Nepal’.

monumental gateways marking cardinal directions

prayer spaces are organized along the outer edge

at the core of the masterplan lies the Peace Meadow

a harmonious integration of nature and design

a tranquil space for contemplation and reflection

a sacred space for all

project info:

architects: Stefano Boeri Architetti | @stefanoboeriarchitetti

partner: Stefano Boeri, Yibo Xu, Pietro Chiodi, Francesca Cesa Bianchi, Marco Giorgio

design team: Cecilia Picello (Project Director), Mohamed Hassan Elgendy, Xu Lyubao

consultants: Matheus Cartocci (Eastern philosophy); Laura Gatti (botanical expert)

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Stefano Boeri Architetti proposed the International Forest Stadium to host the new home for the Milan teams’ football fans, standing as a new landmark for the San Siro area and the city. Set in the heart of a 4.5-hectare public urban park, the project makes nature the protagonist of the football experience, introducing a new urban landscape for all citizens. Developed in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, including ARUP, Fabio Novembre, and Balich Wonder Studio, the proposal is part of a competition, announced in 2019 by the Inter and Milan teams, for the new Milan Stadium.

The design sees the replacement of the current Meazza Stadium, and in addition to the sports facility, it accommodates a series of public and semi-public services and functions, such as offices, a hotel, conference centers, and commercial spaces, in order to boost the vitality of the area, and foster an ongoing use and entertainment.

all renders ©Stefano Boeri Architetti

a green lung for the milan

Set within the extensive ‘Sport and leisure district’ system of over 800 hectares, the proposal act as a monument to football and its fans. A major challenge of the project was the relocation of the Patroclus tunnel, in order to allow the new structure to be built in the middle of the urban park. With a sufficient distance from the residential buildings of the area, the structure respects the residents’ needs and comforts.

The aim of the project is to bring nature to the forefront, providing a welcoming football experience for its visitors who are surrounded by trees and lush vegetation, while enjoying a match. As the team at Stefano Boeri Architetti (see more here) has mentioned, they sought to create ‘a green lung for the metropolis and a place of green connection in the urban fabric’. The project’s target is to contribute to the city’s climate, reducing emissions and energy consumption. More specifically, the stadium is designed to host 5,700 sqm of horizontal green roofs, 7,000 sqm of green façades with 3,300 trees, and 56,300 shrubs of 70 different species, which are expected to absorb 162 tonnes of CO2 annually. Moreover, large photovoltaic surfaces embrace the arena making it energy self-sufficient and environmentally friendly. 

flexible hospitality spaces make the Stadium accessible for different public occasions

The project seeks to introduce a new way of experiencing sports, integrating public functions, and historical references, in connection with nature. The stadium doubles as a social hub for the community, incorporating several attractive functions, including commercial areas, museum spaces, gyms, press and VIP areas, bars, and restaurants. A running track located on the top level offers users a place to train, walk and enjoy the views. The Tower of Light stands as a luminous landmark for the Milanese teams, aiming to strengthen the ‘One Stadium for Two’ model. Emitting red and blue lights — the colors of the two famous teams, the structure is recognizable from afar, while it changes color depending on the team on the pitch.

The tower comprises a museum of both football clubs and, at the apex of its spires, the statues of footballers and coaches who have built the greatness of Milanese football. Furthermore, the project features a memorial, always open to the public, narrating stories, legends, and memories about the entire last century of the Meazza Stadium.

the Tower of Light is recognizable from afar

a new landmark for the San Siro area and the city

a luminous tower that changes color depending on the team on the pitch

project info:

name: The International Forest Stadium

architecture: Stefano Boeri Architetti

interior design: Fabio Novembre | @novembrestudio
structural project, MEP, sustainability, bowl design: ARUP
landscape design: Michel Desvigne Paysagiste
agronomist: Studio Laura Gatti
show design: Balich Worldwide Shows
graphic project: 46xy – Mario Piazza, TOMOTOM
Sport e Salute SPA

renders: ©Stefano Boeri Architetti

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Stefano Boeri Architetti and Arassociati break ground on ‘Bosconavigli’, a verdant residential complex in the San Cristoforo district in Milan. Created in collaboration with AG&P greenscape, the result sees a staggered design that maximizes the use of open spaces and creates a dialogue with the surrounding context. The design team sought to obscure the boundaries between artificial and natural, developing a typology with numerous terraces, hanging gardens, and loggias that allow plants to grow freely, turning the foliage into an integrated part of the facade. Through this continuous and ever-changing rhythm, the final result seeks to welcome a new way of living in the urban network that centers on well-being. The residential project involves the construction of a courtyard in its core that guarantees privacy without compromising its relation with the urban context. Located in a former industrial area, the complex will act as a portal between the city and the river area of ​​Ticino and the Naviglio di Porta Ticinese. Bosconavigli unfolds around a spacious courtyard open to the public | all images by Level Creative Studio, Echoo Studio

an irregular rhythm of densely planted balconies

The Bosconavigli residential complex by Stefano Boeri Architetti (see more here) and Arassociati (see more here), and AG&P greenscape (more here) encourages the integration between living nature and architecture. Settled among the highly-built fabric of the city and one of its historic districts, the synthesis celebrates the reforestation of its urban context. A system of greenery comprising 170 trees of 60 different species, together with shrubs and climbing plants, embraces the facade, which is developing in a progressive variation of heights that optimizes views and natural light. On the ground floor, a series of flows and paths, interaction spots, and decks engage locals and visitors in sports and recreational activities. Thanks to the numerous entrances via San Cristoforo, people from other neighborhoods can easily enter the public facilities located on the first level, which include a double-height restaurant-bistro and a wellness service with a swimming pool, gym, and sauna.

The ‘Bosconavigli’ hosts 90 apartments, each of them spanning between 45 to over 300 square meters. All the flats, independent of their size, accommodate large outdoor spaces that double as an extension of the living space. The lush vegetation creates an interplay of solids and voids, designed to protect the interior from summer sun rays and favor winter ones. Moreover, the irregular system of balconies, in combination with the greenery, acts as a buffer against noise and air pollution. The design employs bioclimatic strategies, thanks to the integration of technological systems capable of optimizing the building’s energy and environmental sustainability. These see the use of solar and photovoltaic panels on the roof, the collection, and recovery of rainwater, and the production of geothermal energy.

blooming plants will modify the view of the facade depending on the season 

Together with the projects of Ca’delle Alzaie in Treviso and Palazzo Verde in Anversa, both designed by Stefano Boeri, Bosconavigli revises the prototype of Bosco Verticale di Milano in a low-density key.

shrubs and plants are a natural barrier to noise pollution and fine dust

project info:

name: Bosconavigli

architects: Stefano Boeri Architetti, Arassociati

landscape design: AG&P greenscape

location: Milan, Italy

area: approx. 15,000 sqm

status: under construction

client: Milan 5.0

render: Level Creative Studio, Echoo Studio

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A LEGO Ideas user named TheCastleFan built the vertical forest of Stefano Boeri Architetti by Stefano Boeri using LEGO blocks, fringing the design with the details of the green building that has graces Milan’s Porta Nuova district since its establishment in 2014. The two buildings of Bosco Verticale comprise 113 apartments that offer expansive views of the city, and its design is characterized by integrated vegetation of over 2,000 different species of trees, shrubs, and plants. In total, the structures contain 780 planted trees as a means to increase the site’s biodiversity. In the LEGO design of the now tourist spot in Milan, the designer captures the uneven positions of the blocks, glass barricades for the balconies, ceiling-to-floor windows, and the famed tendrils and greenery that sprawl across the Italian architecture. 

images by TheCastleFan

Urban Gardening

TheCastleFan writes that their final idea of the project consists of five stories whose apartments come equipped with large outdoor spaces, the extension of the living and green rooms one may see when they visit the actual architecture in Milan. ‘Inside, the apartments are furnished in a modern style and are equipped with every comfort. Each single housing unit can be opened outwards through a system of multiple hinges that allows for high playability,’ the designer writes, who also comments that the façades of Bosco Verticale – adorned with trees, plants, and shrubs of various types to speak of urban gardening and greenery – are not only decorations but also a part of the green cooling system. ‘In addition to the beauty of the tower as an exhibit and its strong message based on the sustainability of the buildings, I would recommend this set for those who want to enrich their LEGO City with an original and innovative set.’

bosco verticale in milan built using 2,980 LEGO pieces

the most beautiful and innovative skyscraper

What was deemed then as an ambitious metropolitan reforestation project is now considered a must-visit display in Milan. ‘Thanks to the vegetation that filters the sun’s rays, an optimal microclimate is created inside the Vertical Forest, and the plants ensure the regulation of humidity, the absorption of carbon dioxide and fine dust as well as the production of oxygen. The vertical forest has also become the habitat of various animal species including birds and butterflies,’ TheCastleFan writes. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat – promoted by the Illinois Institute of Chicago – even awarded Bosco Verticale as ‘the most beautiful and innovative skyscraper of the world’,  overtaking the then leader of the list, the One World Trade Center of New York.

close-up view

aerial view

interior view

interior view

bosco verticale in milan built using 2,980 LEGO pieces

project info:

name: Bosco Verticale LEGO

designer: TheCastleFan

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