Zaha Hadid Architects has announced the Nest and Cascades, two developments planned for Kodra e Diellit in Tirana. Designed for local developer Agikons, the projects respond to growing demand for housing and hospitality spaces in one of the Albanian capital’s fastest-developing districts.
RESIDENTIAL
Kodra e Diellit occupies a hillside south of central Tirana and offers panoramic views across the city. Large villas and townhouses currently define the neighborhood, while pedestrian routes and courtyards connect homes with schools, kindergartens, health centers, sports facilities, shops, restaurants, and children’s clubs. Several bus routes link the district with the city center.
The Nest addresses demand from younger families, couples, professionals, and retirees seeking alternatives to large family houses. Four residential plots contain one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments arranged around a shared park planted with local Mediterranean species.
ZHA used detailed site analysis to map topography, solar exposure, temperature, humidity, rainfall, air quality, and prevailing winds. Digital models guided the placement and design of the buildings, supporting cross-ventilation through each apartment by capturing Tirana’s easterly winds. Recessed terraces and cantilevered balconies provide sheltered outdoor areas.
Deep facade reveals, overhanging balconies, and recessed openings reduce summer heat while allowing lower winter sunlight into the apartments. Natural light reaches 95.3 percent of occupied spaces. The project targets Gold certification under LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C for Multifamily Homes.
A Life Cycle Assessment places the Nest’s embodied carbon intensity at 471 kgCO₂e per square metre, below the regional average of 566 kgCO₂e. Modular construction, recycled aggregates, and terracotta cladding help reduce the project’s carbon impact.
Each building receives a distinct finish. Two use fawn tones, one uses terracotta, and another features deep red stucco informed by the iron-rich hillside. Green space occupies 55 percent of the site, exceeding LEED open-space requirements by 83.3 percent. Planted shade zones remain up to 16°C cooler than exposed hard surfaces. Rainwater collection, on-site greywater treatment, permeable paving, native planting, roof-mounted solar arrays, EV charging, and bicycle storage support the project’s environmental strategy.
The Cascades extends the existing Arka Art Hotel with a 120-room wing, a 60-metre extension of the swimming pool, and apartments placed above a podium embedded in the hillside.
Two planted courtyards organze the project’s public areas. The Poolside Courtyard expands the hotel terrace and restaurant veranda, while the Hillside Garden Courtyard creates a quieter terraced setting with city views. Cascading garden terraces follow the site’s contours and extend the guest rooms and apartments with sheltered outdoor space.
A podium made from locally quarried limestone supports the development. GRC facade panels reproduce the stone’s colors and textures. Workers will cast the panels on site in modular strips, reducing structural loads and transport distances. Their pale surface reflects solar radiation, while the thin construction cuts raw material use by up to 70 percent.
Lime-based stucco regulates interior humidity without synthetic paint. Bronze balustrades require no maintenance coatings, while sustainably harvested chestnut provides the flooring. Rainwater collection, greywater recycling, green roofs, external shading, hybrid natural ventilation, and waste heat recovery complete the Cascades’ environmental systems.
The Nest
Client: Agikons
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
ZHA Principal: Patrik Schumacher
ZHA Project Director: Filippo Innocenti
ZHA Project Associate: Marco Guardincerri
ZHA Project Architects: Stefano Rocchetti, Ivo Ambrosi
ZHA Project Team: Mattia Badiani, Engsea Leang, Louai Jaber, Diego Ariza, Nivedita Ramachandran, India Baz
ZHA Environmental & Sustainability Team: Abhilash Menon, Aditya Ambare, Bahaa Alnassrallah, Jing Xu
The Cascades
Client: Agikons
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
ZHA Principal: Patrik Schumacher
ZHA Project Director: Filippo Innocenti
ZHA Project Associate: Marco Guardincerri
ZHA Project Lead: Ivo Ambrosi
ZHA Project Team: Engsea Leang, Calin Negret, Diego Ariza, India Baz, Louai Jaber, Nivedita Ramachandran, Mattia Badiani, Stefano Rocchetti
ZHA Environmental & Sustainability Team: Abhilash Menon, Bahaa Alnassrallah, Aditya Ambare, Jing Xu
Local Architect: Agikons Studio
