Pritzker Prize-winning Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura has joined forces with Porto-based architecture studio OODA to design an ambitious mixed-use concrete skyscraper in Tirana, Albania's capital city. The Oricon Tower, set to rise 180 meters into the skyline, will feature a distinctive gridded concrete and glass facade and serve as what the architects describe as an "urban gateway" to the rapidly transforming city.
The towering structure will be constructed in western Tirana, positioned strategically next to OODA's recently completed Bond Tower. Spanning an impressive 60,000 square meters of floor space, the Oricon Tower will house a diverse mix of functions including residential apartments, a luxury hotel, office spaces, retail establishments, and a rooftop restaurant offering panoramic views of the Albanian capital.
According to OODA, this high-profile collaboration represents the latest addition to a wave of new developments transforming Tirana's urban landscape. The architects have specifically designed the tower to function as a "transitional element" that bridges the gap between the city's historic core and its modern expansion areas. "Set in an area of transformation along the axis connecting the airport to the city center, the tower occupies a strategic position within the urban context," OODA explained in their project description. "It functions as an urban gateway."
The architectural design showcases a bold rectilinear form characterized by protruding floor plates that extend beyond the tower's glass facade, creating a dynamic three-dimensional effect that defines the building's exterior identity. Regular recesses strategically placed throughout the structure's form help break up the massive volume, preventing the tower from appearing monotonous while adding visual interest to the skyline. "The project embraces proportion, structural clarity and materiality, adopting constructive expression as its guiding principle," the studio detailed.
At ground level, a generous public plaza will flank the tower's base, creating an inviting urban space that opens up to a dramatic double-height entrance lobby. The interior lobby design features elegant marble-clad surfaces and comfortable seating areas for visitors, establishing a luxurious first impression. The tower's lower floors will be dedicated to retail spaces and office environments, which according to architectural renderings will incorporate a warmer, more inviting wooden palette to create comfortable working and shopping environments.
The building's vertical organization follows a carefully planned hierarchy, with apartments occupying the middle floors of the tower, crowned by hotel accommodations and the signature rooftop restaurant at the summit. Each of the tower's different programmatic functions will be served by dedicated lobbies, all connected through a central circulation core designed to optimize movement and efficiency throughout the building. This thoughtful internal circulation system ensures smooth traffic flow between the various uses while maintaining appropriate separation between residential, commercial, and hospitality functions.
Construction of the Oricon Tower is scheduled to commence in January 2026, marking another significant milestone in Tirana's ongoing urban transformation. The project joins several other notable high-rise developments recently announced for the city, including the undulating Lake Views development designed by JA Joubert Architecture and the yet-to-be-completed Barcelona Tower skyscraper by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura. These projects collectively represent Albania's growing ambition to establish Tirana as a modern European capital with a distinctive architectural identity that honors both its past and its future aspirations.
