• Login / Join
  • About
  • •
  • Contact
  • •
  • Advertising
bustler logo
bustler logo
  • News
  • Competitions
  • Events
  • Bustler is powered by Archinect
  • Sign up for Bustler's Email Newsletters

  • Follow these Bustler feeds:

  • Search

    Search in

  • Submit

    What are you submitting?

    News Pitch
    Competition
    Event
  • Login / Join
  • News|Competitions|Events
  • Search
    | Submit
    | Follow
  • Search in

    What are you submitting?

    News Pitch
    Competition
    Event

    Follow these Bustler feeds:

  • About|Contact|Advertising
  • Login / Join
Tagged: tirana

Explore the winning Oppenheim Architecture competition design for Albania's Besa Museum

By Bustler Editors|

Thursday, Jul 27, 2023

Besa Museum. Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

Miami-based Oppenheim Architecture has revealed its winning design for the two-phased international competition to design and restore Albania's Besa Museum. The site was chosen by the Ministry of Culture of Albania because of its location in the "Toptani Residence in Albania’s lively capital city, Tirana, which showcased it as a historical monument that is meant to be preserved and respected. The Toptani Residence itself is a critical part of Albanian history, named for one of the country’s most historic families." 

The museum project, which is set to be Albania's newest cultural institution, aims to "honor the nation’s rich cultural heritage and welcoming spirit." Out of 40 design entries, Oppenheim Architecture's European office was selected for its approach to honoring the country's history. The firm shares the name of the museum comes from the Albania concept of Besa, which is "a sacred principle that represents the given word, or  one's honor to host and protect any guest and welcome them as one of your own, and demonstrate the core of the Albanian way."

Project render of Besa Museum. Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

The firm's design process began with connecting and engaging with local restoration experts, historians that specialized in Ottoman and Albania architecture/culture, a museologist, and Albanologists. After learning and discussing ways to approach the museum's design needs and restoration process the firm also collaborated with Ralph Appelbaum Associates, a specialty firm that assisted in the Oppenheim Architecture team to "meet the unique requirements of the museum." 

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

Using the existing Toptani Residence located on the project's site, the firm aimed to create a two-part museum experience. The first part of the museum is located above ground within the existing residence that takes visitors through the home to help narrate Besa's history and cultural significance, while the second part of the museum is located underground. Another important addition are four, bright red, monolithic pillars that represent the "tradition, protection, hospitality, and honor" of Albania. 

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

Beat Huesler (Director of Oppenheim Architecture Europe) explained, "Since beginning our work in Albania a few years ago, we have been inspired by the culture and vibrancy of its people. We hope that our vision for the Besa Museum will use architecture as a tool to illustrate the Albanian people’s deep love and respect for their heritage and one another [...] We want to leverage the power of the existing house, having it as a site of exhibits and an exhibit itself.”

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

"The spaces serve as testimonies to the Albanian way of life, with the Oppenheim team proposing a restoration of the rooms and art in order to highlight historical and current events during which Besa has guided Albania; notably, welcoming of Jews during the Holocaust, as well as Kosovar and Afghan refugees in contemporary times."

Explore interior images of the museum below. 

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.
Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.
Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.
Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

View additional drawings and plans of the project in our image gallery.

RELATED NEWS The first-prize entry in reviving Tirana's iconic Pyramid Square in Albania
RELATED NEWS COOP HIMMELB(L)AU to Design New Albanian Parliament Building
RELATED NEWS BIG to Design Major Cultural Center in Albania

Related

oppenheim architecture and design ● museum ● museum design ● albania ● competition ● europe ● tirana
Oppenheim Architecture
Oppenheim Architecture

Share

  • Follow

    0 Comments

  • Comment as :

Explore the winning Oppenheim Architecture competition design for Albania's Besa Museum

2018 European Prize for Urban Public Space awarded to 51N4E's Skanderbeg Square renovation in Tirana

Open schools as the heart of society: Stefano Boeri Architetti to design three schools for the entire community

The first-prize entry in reviving Tirana's iconic Pyramid Square in Albania

BIG to Design Major Cultural Center in Albania

COOP HIMMELB(L)AU to Design New Albanian Parliament Building

JA Joubert Architecture Wins International Competition for Master Plan in Tirana, Albania

Tirana Rocks: MVRDV Wins Lakeside Competition in Albania

Sign up for Bustler's Email Newsletters

Next page » Loading

Explore the winning Oppenheim Architecture competition design for Albania's Besa Museum

By Bustler Editors|

Thursday, Jul 27, 2023

Share

Besa Museum. Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

Related

oppenheim architecture and design ● museum ● museum design ● albania ● competition ● europe ● tirana
Oppenheim Architecture
Oppenheim Architecture

Miami-based Oppenheim Architecture has revealed its winning design for the two-phased international competition to design and restore Albania's Besa Museum. The site was chosen by the Ministry of Culture of Albania because of its location in the "Toptani Residence in Albania’s lively capital city, Tirana, which showcased it as a historical monument that is meant to be preserved and respected. The Toptani Residence itself is a critical part of Albanian history, named for one of the country’s most historic families." 

The museum project, which is set to be Albania's newest cultural institution, aims to "honor the nation’s rich cultural heritage and welcoming spirit." Out of 40 design entries, Oppenheim Architecture's European office was selected for its approach to honoring the country's history. The firm shares the name of the museum comes from the Albania concept of Besa, which is "a sacred principle that represents the given word, or  one's honor to host and protect any guest and welcome them as one of your own, and demonstrate the core of the Albanian way."

Project render of Besa Museum. Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

The firm's design process began with connecting and engaging with local restoration experts, historians that specialized in Ottoman and Albania architecture/culture, a museologist, and Albanologists. After learning and discussing ways to approach the museum's design needs and restoration process the firm also collaborated with Ralph Appelbaum Associates, a specialty firm that assisted in the Oppenheim Architecture team to "meet the unique requirements of the museum." 

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

Using the existing Toptani Residence located on the project's site, the firm aimed to create a two-part museum experience. The first part of the museum is located above ground within the existing residence that takes visitors through the home to help narrate Besa's history and cultural significance, while the second part of the museum is located underground. Another important addition are four, bright red, monolithic pillars that represent the "tradition, protection, hospitality, and honor" of Albania. 

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

Beat Huesler (Director of Oppenheim Architecture Europe) explained, "Since beginning our work in Albania a few years ago, we have been inspired by the culture and vibrancy of its people. We hope that our vision for the Besa Museum will use architecture as a tool to illustrate the Albanian people’s deep love and respect for their heritage and one another [...] We want to leverage the power of the existing house, having it as a site of exhibits and an exhibit itself.”

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

"The spaces serve as testimonies to the Albanian way of life, with the Oppenheim team proposing a restoration of the rooms and art in order to highlight historical and current events during which Besa has guided Albania; notably, welcoming of Jews during the Holocaust, as well as Kosovar and Afghan refugees in contemporary times."

Explore interior images of the museum below. 

Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.
Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.
Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.
Image courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture.

View additional drawings and plans of the project in our image gallery.

RELATED NEWS The first-prize entry in reviving Tirana's iconic Pyramid Square in Albania
RELATED NEWS COOP HIMMELB(L)AU to Design New Albanian Parliament Building
RELATED NEWS BIG to Design Major Cultural Center in Albania

Share

  • Follow

    0 Comments

  • Comment as :

Archinect JobsArchinect Jobs

The Archinect Job Board attracts the world's top architectural design talents.

VIEW ALL JOBS POST A JOB

Intermediate Architect/Designer

DXA Studio

Intermediate Architect/Designer

New York, NY, US

Pursuit Lead

DAHLIN ARCHITECTURE | PLANNING | INTERIORS

Pursuit Lead

Pleasanton, CA, US

Pursuit Lead

DAHLIN ARCHITECTURE | PLANNING | INTERIORS

Pursuit Lead

Irvine, CA, US

Project Manager

M Royce Architecture

Project Manager

Los Angeles, CA, US

Proposal Writer/Marketing Coordinator

SVA Architects, Inc.

Proposal Writer/Marketing Coordinator

Santa Ana, CA, US

Project Manager-Interiors

DAHLIN ARCHITECTURE | PLANNING | INTERIORS

Project Manager-Interiors

Pleasanton, CA, US

Architect/Project Manager

Eigelberger Architecture + Design

Architect/Project Manager

Aspen, CO, US

Professional I Designer

TenBerke

Professional I Designer

New York, NY, US

Designer /Architect(s)

Storyn Studio for Architecture INC

Designer /Architect(s)

Saint Petersburg, FL, US

Construction Project Manager

Zinque

Construction Project Manager

Thousand Oaks, CA, US

Next page » Loading