Opera and Ballet Theatre of Kosovo

PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY — The site's central location ensures convenient pedestrian access, primarily from the east. Visitors can arrive at street level or via the podium of the Palace of Youth & Sports.

PLAZA — By placing all vehicle servicing beneath the podium extension and all car parking in the basement, the site is liberated to become a new public park and plaza for Prishtina. The building is framed by an elegant hardscape made of natural stone that weaves the building’s entrances together and can easily host large gatherings of people.

PODIUM CONNECTION — Extending the Palace's podium seamlessly integrates it with the new building, enhancing connectivity while activating it as a vibrant public space framed by grand civic stairs.

LANDSCAPE — Freed from vehicles, the site becomes a vibrant public park and plaza for Prishtina. A natural stone hardscape elegantly weaves the building's entrances, creating a unified civic space for large gatherings, while landscaped 'islands' with diverse vegetation and beech trees enhance biodiversity and provide shelter from the highway.

PROGRAM ARRANGEMENT — The four main venues - the Concert Hall, Theatre Hall, Recital Hall, and Theatre Room - along with the Education and Conference Centre, connect to a central back-of-house spine. Rehearsal and administration spaces stack above, ensuring a functional, efficient, and compact arrangement.

OPERA & BALLET THEATRE OF KOSOVO — The new building will be a world-class performing arts venue and national symbol, showcasing Kosovo's rich artistic heritage globally. It will energize Prishtina's center, fostering cultural growth and attracting talent and visitors from near and far.

ENTRANCES & FOYER — The building footprint is shaped through 'pushing and pulling' to create a unified public foyer, accessible from all sides, that responds to each primary program. Its undulating form further defines entrances and key spaces, organically guiding visitors.

SITE — Located in the heart of Prishtina, bordering the Palace of Youth & Sports, the site is uniquely positioned to establish a new cultural quarter and a vibrant national landmark.

VEIL — The efficient program is draped in an elegant 'shroud' that is clad in solar shingles and supported by exposed timber rafters. This gives the building a striking presence - a beautiful and mysterious object in the landscape with a dual identity: sleek and dynamic when seen from the outside in contrast to a warm, inviting interior.