Dutch architectural studio MVRDV has revealed ambitious plans for The Grand Ballroom, a revolutionary sports arena in Tirana, Albania, featuring a striking 100-meter-wide spherical design modeled after a sports ball. The innovative mixed-use venue is set to replace the existing Asllan Rusi Sports Palace and will accommodate a 6,000-seat arena topped by a glass oculus, along with retail spaces, residential apartments, and a hotel.
The 20-story spherical structure draws its inspiration from the universal shape of sports balls, ensuring that the building presents an equally impressive appearance from all angles without creating any neglected rear facades. "The spherical shape is a reference to the round ball used by so many sports," explained Winy Maas, studio partner at MVRDV. "Yet it also recalls enlightenment temples, from Étienne-Louis Boullée's Cenotaph for Newton to Buckminster Fuller's tribute to technological optimism, the geodesic dome. A great sphere in the heart of Tirana can similarly become a temple to sport and community."
Architectural renderings reveal a distinctive gridded exterior composed of vertical and horizontal elements that frame rhythmic openings across the facade. The design incorporates regular glazed openings alongside larger three-story openings that will house spacious terraces on the upper floors. The building's rounded volume will be truncated at its base, where public plazas and sports facilities will be positioned alongside a ring of retail spaces and cafes on the lower ground level.
The ground level features a series of staircases leading to various entrance points around the building, all opening into a circular lobby flanked by two training pitches and both public and private facilities. The 90,200-square-meter building's facilities are strategically layered across the upper floors, beginning with the arena, followed by the hotel, apartments, and penthouses. A glazed oculus crowns the arena while serving as a centerpiece for a semi-enclosed residents' garden on the floor above.
"By stacking the hotel and residential functions on top of the arena itself, the design accommodates a significant amount of programming on a relatively small site," MVRDV explained. The oculus can be closed with a thick layer of glass to form a soundproof barrier while maintaining visual connections between the upper and lower volumes. Near the top of the sphere, apartments are arranged around a lofty atrium enclosed by an operable skylight, allowing for natural daylight access and ventilation.
Additional amenities within The Grand Ballroom include a private rooftop terrace and bar, which will be provided alongside a series of duplex penthouses and a dedicated residents' garden. The project represents part of a broader architectural renaissance in Albania, where statement buildings are becoming increasingly common as the country seeks to transform its urban landscape through innovative design.
The Grand Ballroom joins other notable spherical architectural projects recently completed worldwide, including the Avicii Arena in Stockholm and The Sphere in Las Vegas, which currently holds the title of the world's largest spherical structure. This ambitious project reflects Albania's growing commitment to using architecture as a catalyst for positive change in the small Balkan nation.
