Title

Author(s)

Emma Sumrow

Affiliation

Columbia University

DOI

https://doi.org/10.65686/WBNL1698

Keywords

Albania, Authoritarianism, Pyramid

PP

888-895

How to Cite

Sumrow, Emma. “The Pyramid of Tirana A Site of Public Spectacle and Private Power.” In Proceedings of the International Conference on Adaptive Reuse. Volume 1, edited by Andrea Crudeli, Francesca Molle, and Emanuele Carrai, 888–895. Firenze: STH Press, 2026.

Abstract

The Pyramid of Tirana, originally a symbol for Albania’s communist dictator Enver Hoxha, has transformed to mirror the country’s own ideological shifts. Once a monument to authoritarianism and control, it became a cultural center after the fall of communism in 1991, served as a NATO base during the Kosovo War, and is now a nucleolus for the country’s digital education. From reinforcing policies of the past, it now projects the nation toward a new future. But in reframing its identity from its militarization to nonconformity, new questions arise: did a whole country dramatically transform in under three decades? Is this evolution a path to liberation, or is it a more subtle form of control? Is technology an identity and if so, of who or of what? Is the repurposed building a bated hook that is cast to attract fish? Or is it the boat keeping the fishers afloat? MVRDV, known for producing programmatic dualities in their projects wherein spaces attract both intended users and a broader public, adapted the pyramid to reflect its new intended identity. As a result, Albanians recognize it as the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, due to news outlets; tourists see a climbable landmark and city viewing platform; entrepreneurs find its potential for aesthetically trendy commerce. Yet while its exterior grabs global attention, activities within remain largely opaque. The building’s layered history functions like a set of Russian Dolls, each unveiling leads to deeper concealments rather than clarity. This aesthetic is echoed in MVRDV’s architectural language: fragmented, overlapping volumes that conceal as much as they reveal. The question remains whether the Pyramid now facilitates transparency or simply repackages opacity in a contemporary guise. It says, in effect, “Here is Pandora’s box, pick one,” presenting the illusion of access while maintaining layers of curated ambiguity.

Edited by
Andrea Crudeli
Francesca Molle
Emanuele Carrai

Publisher
STH Press, Firenze

ISBN Paperback – 9791281661141
ISBN Ebook – 9791281661158
DOI – https://doi.org/10.65686/SISY7263

Year
2026

Proceedings of
International Conference on Adaptive Reuse
hosted by The University of Pisa, Italy
15-19 September 2025, at the Gispoteca di Arte Antica dell’Università di Pisa.