UK’s Grimshaw wins Tirana boulevard extension project

TIRANA, May 16 – London-based Grimshaw Architects has been announced the winner of an international design competition to extend the boulevard in Tirana beating another British architectural studio in a prolonged competition. The decision was announced on Wednesday by Tirana Mayor Lulzim Basha who announced the project’s implementation would start within this year as soon as the detailed technical project is ready.
The announcement of the winner comes two months after an international jury was unable to select the winning design project and shortlisted two UK studios the “Grimshaw Architects,” and “DAR Group Turkey & United Kingdom” for public consultations.
The Grimshaw project foresees the construction of three main squares, the Palace of Justice, the commercial and culture squares, across the 1.7 km new boulevard.
The winning project will extend the Zogu I boulevard at the train station by another 1.7 kilometres to the Tirana River, Paskuqan, suburban Tirana, and develop a 133 hectare area and the 6.7 km river.
Seven design studios from the UK, Netherlands, Germany and Italy participated in the competition held last weekend by the Tirana Municipality.
Tirana Mayor Lulzim Basha said the extension of the boulevard and the rehabilitation of the Tirana River would set up a new economic zone, creating thousands of new jobs and improving the quality of life.
“This project will completely revitalize around 1/5 of Tirana and create a new economic pole, which will create thousands of jobs, ease traffic, and provide access to green areas, recreational parks, water facilities for citizens of all ages, putting Tirana on track to a modern European city for the challenges of the XX1 century,” said Basha.
For 2012, the Tirana Municipality has approved a 70 million dollar budget, the biggest ever in the municipality’s history, focusing on the capital’s economic growth by promoting employment, improving the quality of life and infrastructure.
Making operational the first tram line in Tirana and Albania, from suburban Laprake neighbourhood at the entry of Tirana to the Mother Teresa square in Tirana’s central boulevard is Basha’s top infrastructural and transportation promise.