Home to The National Theater of Albania, Tirana was listed among the best places for architecture and design lovers to travel in 2025 by Architectural Digest. After opening an international call for urban development projects, the capital of Albania has become an architectural hub for firms such as BIG, Zaha Hadid Architects, MVRDV, and Alejandro Aravena, among others. The bow tie-shaped National Theatre of Albania designed by BIG is a three-in-one cultural venue replacing an aging theatre building that no longer meets the needs of the actors, guests, or the general public. The new 9,300 m2 contemporary venue will host local and touring theatre companies, bringing three new indoor performance spaces, a rooftop amphitheater, and a covered public space underneath the building, reinforcing the city’s goal for more urban gathering places in Tirana.
