The Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has unveiled its ambitious Mangalem 21 residential masterplan, a groundbreaking housing development that transforms a challenging hillside site in eastern Tirana, Albania, into a vibrant urban community. The project, developed in collaboration with Kontakt, addresses the complex topography of a steep site that features a dramatic 27-meter elevation change from top to bottom – equivalent to the height of a nine-story building.

The development's location presents a unique urban context, with communist-era housing blocks defining the northern boundary and informal developments characterizing the southern edge. In response to this layered urban fabric, OMA's design creates a rhythmic and dynamic sequence of residential buildings and courtyards that harmoniously integrates with the existing neighborhood while establishing a new architectural identity.

The masterplan's most distinctive feature is its innovative checkerboard layout, which strategically balances high urban density with generous green spaces and communal areas. This arrangement allows the development to accommodate substantial residential capacity while preserving significant open space for community interaction and recreation. The architects have prioritized pedestrian experience by dedicating the entire ground level exclusively to foot traffic, with all parking and vehicular access relocated to underground levels.

This underground parking strategy proves transformative for the development's character, freeing up an impressive 70 percent of the surface area for public plazas, landscaped gardens, and pedestrian circulation networks. The result is a remarkably calm and accessible urban environment that prioritizes human-scale interaction over automobile dominance.

The stepped arrangement of buildings takes full advantage of the sloping terrain, with each structure positioned to overlook the one below it. This cascading configuration ensures that all residents enjoy open views across the site while maximizing natural sunlight penetration throughout the development. The architectural strategy transforms what could have been a challenging topographical constraint into a defining asset of the project.

At the architectural scale, Mangalem 21's design philosophy centers on transforming a conventional regular grid into a more spatially dynamic and engaging urban fabric. The development introduces three innovative building typologies that add complexity and visual interest to the overall composition. The first typology, known as the "straddle core," features shared circulation systems that connect multiple buildings, promoting community interaction while optimizing space efficiency.

The second typology, called the "straddle apartment," presents residential units that span across two separate structures, creating unique living spaces that bridge different parts of the development. The third typology, termed the "kissing corner," occurs where two building volumes meet and touch, creating intimate architectural moments that add variety to the streetscape.

These three configurations work together to introduce porosity and architectural variation across what might otherwise have been a rigid, monotonous plan. The strategic use of tangent corners and overlapping volumes creates a rich spatial experience that evolves as residents and visitors move through the development.

A carefully curated color palette serves as another key element in animating the development's facades and creating visual coherence across the complex. The color strategy draws direct inspiration from Tirana's celebrated city-wide mural initiative from the 2000s, which was led by then-mayor Edi Rama and transformed the Albanian capital's urban landscape with vibrant building colors.

OMA's interpretation of this local tradition introduces color through standardized openings, shifting geometric patterns, and selective accent applications across walls, window frames, and shutters. The resulting visual language achieves the delicate balance of being both diverse and cohesive, creating individual building identities while maintaining overall development unity.

The stepped arrangement of buildings creates a unique urban condition where multiple building elevations are visible simultaneously from various vantage points throughout the site. Recognizing this characteristic, the architects have treated rooftops as "fifth facades" – surfaces that are visible from above and integral to the development's spatial rhythm and visual composition.

The interplay between vibrant facades, covered arcades, and planted courtyards creates a rich urban landscape that changes character throughout the day and seasons. The architectural framework is designed to be flexible and responsive to residents' evolving needs, allowing the community to adapt and grow over time.

Mangalem 21 represents OMA's vision for a new model of urban living in Tirana that successfully integrates high residential density with visual diversity, abundant open space, and innovative architectural solutions. The project creates a walkable, inhabited landscape that connects individual residential experiences to a broader collective urban form, establishing a prototype for future development in Albania's rapidly evolving capital city.

The development's emergence from Tirana's urban edge demonstrates how thoughtful architectural design can respond to complex contextual challenges while creating new possibilities for community life. Through its innovative use of color, creative building typologies, and strategic site planning, Mangalem 21 establishes a new standard for residential development that honors local urban traditions while pointing toward a more sustainable and livable urban future.