Architecture Portfolio | Msc. of Architecture and Urban Design

PORTFOLIO ‘19 - ‘23

FLORENT BAJRAMI

Architecture and Urban Design Politecnico di Milano School of Architecture Urban Planning Construction Engineering

CONTENT 01.

INTERTEXTUAL COMPOSITION OF AN URBAN ENSEMBLE COMPLETING THE PALACE OF YOUTH AND SPORTS

02.

YAZD NEIGHBORHOOD LOW-RISE HIGH DENSITY

03.

FRAGMENTED UNITY ARCHITECTURE OF DIALOGUE

04.

EVERART FOREST BACK TO THE VILLAGE

05.

THE SUSTAINABLE CASTLE HOW TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE FUTURE?

06.

THE WALNUT APARTMENT WORKING ALONG THE EDGE

01. 2023

INTERTEXTUAL COMPOSITION OF AN URBAN ENSEMBLE COMPLETING THE PALACE OF YOUTH AND SPORTS Sports and Cultural Complex | Pristina, Kosovo The Palace of Youth and Sport in Pristina is a mega-

potential remains unfulfilled until its incompleteness

structure of sports, cultural and commercial spaces,

is resolved. Recognizing the infrastructural promise

designed in 1974 during a period of rapid development

of the original project, the proposal puts forward the

of the city under the Yugoslav government. Realized

idea of completing the ensemble as a solution to many

only partly, the buildings were part of a bigger

urban connectivity issues in the city center, while at

masterplan that included the whole urban block, but

the same time introducing several much-needed sports

which unfortunately was left incomplete due to the

facilities. Through a careful reading of its compositional

financial difficulties that the country found itself in.

and proportional rules, the original project stands as

Nontheless, from the beginning the ensemble became

an unquestionable relevant trace guiding a new design

an icon of the architectural scene of the city, through

capable of restoring the urban block to its functionality,

its central location, grandiose size and distinctive

while respecting the architectural heritage of the

style. Its future is now, however, endangered by the

existing.

poor state of some of the existing facilities, while its

MASTER THESIS Supervisors | Maurizio Meriggi, Luka Skansi Individual Project

3

ORIGINAL PROJECT: PARTLY REALIZED

PROPORTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT

STRATEGY CONNECTING THE RAILWAY TO THE CITY BOULEVARD

CONTINUITY IN THE MASTERPLAN COMPOSITION

CONTINUITY IN SCALE AND PROPORTIONS

PROPOSAL MASTERPLAN

4

REFLECTED NORTH SECTION

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

CONNECTING THE TWO PARTS OF THE CITY CENTER

CLEAR DIVISION OF VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

MAINTAINING THE IMAGE OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT

ORGANIZATION OF THE VOLUMES ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONAL MEGA-GRID

5

OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOL

ISOMETRIC VIEW OF THE PROPOSAL

SWIMMING POOL COURT

ENTRANCE TO THE COMPLEX

SPORTS CLUBS ANNEX

6

02. 2021

YAZD NEIGHBORHOOD LOW-RISE HIGH DENSITY Mixed-use Social Housing | Yazd, Iran The site of the project is an extremely sensitive area

clusters and are organized inspired by the historical

just across the UNESCO protected Dowlat Abad Garden,

courtyard typologies of the Yazd architecture. The roofs

with the new underground highway running underneath

of these buildings are also used as communal platforms.

it at the northern most part. A low-rise, high-density

Anchoring the site at its most important entry points

neighborhood is designed such that it includes mixed

at the north and the south, respectively, and closely

uses of residential flats, temporary housing, commercial

related to the context are the two public buildings: the

spaces and public buildings. The residential buildings,

auditorium and the multi-functional long building.

composed of three interdependent types, are organized

Commercial spaces are located throughout the ground

in clusters or strips and provide apartments of different

floor of the main axes running east-west and north-south.

sizes and typologies. Half ground sunken temporary

Careful consideration is taken to the Yazd climate and the

housing buildings are located in the middle of these

city’s morphology in orienting living spaces.

AXONOMETRIC VIEW

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO Critics | Marco Bovati, Arian Heidari Afshari Collaborators | Diane Maksuti, Austeja Mielkute

MASTERPLAN 7

STRATEGY

CONTEXT MAP

URBAN SECTION

AUDITORIUM

RESIDENTIAL CLUSTER

TEMPORARY HOUSING

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL

MASTERPLAN GROUND FLOOR 8

THIRD FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

FIRST FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING TYPES

TYPE A TYPE A’ TYPE B

IDEAL CLUSTER OF 10

IDEAL CLUSTER OF 50

SECTION/ELEVATION OF THE B TYPE 9

CLUSTER AXONOMETRIC SECTION

TEMPORARY HOUSES PLANS

10

AUDITORIUM

A

B

B

A GROUND FLOOR PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

SECTION A-A

SECTION B-B

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL BUILDING

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

TRANSVERSAL AND LONGITUDINAL SECTIONS

11

03. 2019

FRAGMENTED UNITY ARCHITECTURE OF DIALOGUE Parish Complex | Milan, Italy Designing a successful parish complex in such a mixed

between each-other through their complex relationships.

urban condition such as Città Studi means dealing with

Three volumes with different proportions are designed

paradoxic aims: inclusive but specific-user oriented,

to house all the program required. Their fragmented

distinguishable but not different, able to interact with

character tries to solve the paradoxic requirements of

the context but also function as a microorganism, able to

the parish. Symbolism is emphasized through strong

host a large number of people but also remain local and

materiality and careful articulation of light. The

personal. To be able to handle such task The Transcripts,

unification of space, movement, and event through

a tool used for the reading of the context, are used as

essential open spaces and mechanical devices brings

a direct design tool that reinterpret five essences in a

the project to a conclusion: a Fragmented Unity - an

liturgical architecture. The design process is a careful

oxymoron mirroring the reality of religion itself.

organization of distinguishable parts that correlate

ELEVATION OF THE CHURCH

FINAL DESIGN STUDIO Critics | Emilio Faroldi, Maria Pilar Vettori, Cecilia Rostagni Collaborators | Catalina Mutis, Oxana Lema, Salvatore Borrometi

MASTERPLAN OF THE PARISH

12

CITTÀ STUDI TRANSCRIPTS Conceived as a work in progress rather than a

The analogous nature of The Transcripts is not only

project, Bernard Tschumi’s Manhattan Transcripts

helpful for an alternative reading of the city, but also

offer architectural stimulus through their nature of

offers an initial point of design. The introduction of a

representation. The Transcripts’ components of event,

new component to the transcripts (essence) through

space, and movement are represented by photographs,

an additional representation method (verbal) helps to

architectural drawings and diagrams in a broken

define the true essence of each of five case studies chosen

down manner that innately suggest the consequent

in Città Studi. These essences then are transformed to

constructing of these components to a whole. Tschumi

architecture through manipulation of movement, space

advocates for an architecture of disjunctions, where

and event to arrive at a desired liturgical reality. As such

form, use and social values are not interrelated but

the spirit of the site is retranslated in the parish complex

rather tangled in a new deconstructed reality.

itself.

THE TRANSCRIPTS: AN ALTERNATIVE READING OF CITTA STUDI

EXPLODED AXONOMETRIC

13

AXONOMETRIC SECTIONS OF DIFFERENT SPACES OF THE PARISH

EUCHARISTIC CHAPEL AND CHOIR

MAIN ALTAR AND CONTEMPLATION SPACE

COMMUNITY EATING HALL

RECEIVING HALL OF THE ANNEX BUILDING

STREET FRONT ELEVATION

TRANSVERSAL SECTION

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

LONGITUDINAL ELEVATION OF THE PARISH

LONGITUDINAL SECTION

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

14

LONGITUDINAL SECTION THROUGH THE CHURCH

ELEVATION FROM THE BACKYARD

FLEXIBILITY OF THE CHURCH

WEEKDAY CHAPEL

FLEXIBLE ENTRANCE

BAPTISM

SUNDAY MASS

DETAIL SECTION OF THE CHURCH

SPECIAL CEREMONY

15

04. 2020

EVERART FOREST BACK TO THE VILLAGE Urban Regeneration | Gromo, Italy The COVID-19 Pandemic did, among other things, put

strategy, that would see Gromo as a potential location

into question our urban environments and lifestyles.

for art residencies. Art events and festivals would enrich

Open spaces, nearby amenities and adequate social

the cultural offering, while in turn stimulate the local

distance became a necessity as people started to adjust to

economy that would in turn improve deteriorating

the new reality of remote work. Compelled by the lower

infrastructure and facilities. Reciprocity with neighboring

housing rates, the conditions were perfect for many to

big cities of Bergamo and Milan would be essential in the

move to rural areas and leave behind the urban chaos.

viability of the project. Gromo’s mountainous terrain is

However, to be able to attract permanent inhabitants

an attractive asset that can promote trekking coupled

beyond the lockdowns, villages and small towns need to

with landscape art. As part of the plan, special attention

offer much more economically, socially and culturally.

was paid to the upper Gromo, the area known as Boario

Everart Forest is the project that tries to solve this

Spiazzi, where a series of layered interventions would

issue for the small alpine town of Gromo. Shrinking

take place. Small, environmental-cautious, punctual

in population constantly for more than two decades,

interventions would be a great opportunity for local

Gromo is in need for an engine to start up a chain of

architects and artists to promote their work, as well as

reactions that would see it overcome the status of a

engage the local community to get together and improve

seasonal tourist’s town. A strategy and manifesto of

their town. Permanent and temporary structures would

actions attempts to lay down several principles that

condense and concentrate people, while the art path and

would see the town get a new identity alongside new

the funicular would provide two different methods of

type of inhabitants. The existing local festivals occurring

experiencing and accessing the area.

seasonally in Gromo were the starting point to the new

URBAN DESIGN STUDIO Critics | Stefano Boeri Collaborators | Ceyda Alkara, Karolina Pieniazek

AXONOMETRIC CLOSE-UP OF THE FESTIVAL AREA 16

GROMO LOCATION

INFORMATION ON GROMO

POPULATION DECLINE DURING THE YEARS

ART RESIDENCIES

ART INSTITUTIONS 17

STRATEGY OF ACTIONS

EXISTING PLAN

EXPLODED VIEW OF THE INTERVENTION LAYERS

18

NEW CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FES

AMPHITHEATER PAVILIONS

PLAYFIELD CATWALK

PLAYGROUND GALLERY

ART PAVILION TREE HOUSES

POND

ARTISTS DORM

GOVER

CULTURAL HOUSE

CAMPING AREA

WORKSHOP SPACES

PATH IN THE FOREST

ART ASSOCIATION

LOCAL FOOD MARKET

HOSTEL

PLAN OF INTERVENTIONS

STIVAL BOARD GAME AND BROCHURE

19

05. 2020

THE SUSTAINABLE CASTLE HOW TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE FUTURE? Urban Block | Nagoya, Japan Located in proximity to the historical Nagoya castle

only emphasized with play in forms, but also in terms of

and the Hori river, the project site is a 90x90 urban

construction, as a mix of reinforced concrete and cross-

block in the modern grid of the city. The project is an

laminated timber. Apartments varying in size are all cross

attempt to mix residential, commercial and co-working

ventilated and can be enlarged visually by the flexibility

spaces while ensuring climate control within the block

of the shutters facade, which is operated through a

and inside apartments. Different software were used to

narrow outer service balcony. The first floor terrace

acquire climate analysis data, including shading time,

connects office spaces while also creating a communal

energy efficiency and U-value calculation. In terms of

space that connects with the garden on the ground level.

composition, four separate residential volumes rest on

Privacy for the residents is provided through several

a common commercial platform, arranged in such a way

vertical circulation cores that are accessed from the street

to maximize solar gain. Layering of the functions is not

or the courtyard and are inaccessible from the offices.

CONSTRUCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN STUDIO Critics | Luca Maria Francesco Fabris, Rajendra Singh Adhikari Collaborators | Antonios Daniil, Marija Kostadinova

20

SHADING TIME ANALYSIS

SUMMER SOLSTICE

DESIGN PROCESS

SECTIONS

WINTER SOLSTICE

EQUINOX

AXONOMETRIC VIEW

ELEVATIONS

21

CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM: RC AND CLT

CIRCULATION

FUNCTIONAL DISTRIBUTION

GROUND FLOOR | COMMERCIAL

FIRST FLOOR | OFFICES

SECOND FLOOR | CO-WORKING

TYPICAL FLOOR | RESIDENTIAL

DETAILED SECTION

22

06. 2022

THE WALNUT APARTMENT WORKING ALONG THE EDGE Apartment Interior | Pristina, Kosovo The main challenge of the 75 sqm apartment located in

as wardrobes, storage spaces, the TV unit, the fireplace

Pristina was its odd floor plan with its many unfavorable

and a studying area. These elements were constructed in

corners. Furthermore, the entry corridor’s long and

neutral colored wood, such as they would not take away

narrow proportions, from the beginning suggested a

the focus of the walnut structure. Finally the bathrooms

long storage unit along its length. To regulate these

received special attention as both the finishing and other

pecularities, a strong element was introduced to unify the

components were of great importance. In the guest’s

space: the walnut stucture starts at the entry corridor as

bathroom case, the walnut door is flush with the rest of

a storage unit and wardrobe, to become the finishing of

the wall panels. Gray Venetian terrazzo was chosen as the

the guest’s bathroom’s wall, to then turn into a seating

finishing material, with a massive block of stone used as

corner and finally transform into the kitchen. In addition,

the vanity unit and a hanging spherical bulb as the only

several new volumes were added within the apartment,

light source, so that a warmer environment is created.

INDEPENDENT COMMISSION Individual Project Built work

23