BIG designs the first opera house in the Republic of Kosovo
The future Opera & Ballet Theater of Kosovo will house four performance halls and a new public plaza in the capital of Prishtina. Designed as a symbol of the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, the theater will be the first opera house in the Republic of Kosovo, reflecting a new identity for Prishtina rooted in creativity and a commitment to the country’s artistic growth. Commissioned by Kosovo’s Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports (MKRS), the Opera & Ballet Theater of Kosovo will include a 1,200-capacity Concert Hall, 1,000-capacity Theater Hall, 300-seat Recital Hall, Theater Room, and Education and Conference Center under one roof. Situated next to the Palace of Youth & Sports, the Fadil Vokrri Stadium, and the Public Services Ministry, the theater will contribute to a dynamic new cultural corridor at the heart of the city. A simple and pragmatic arrangement of functional elements, including world-class performance venues, is wrapped in a softer exterior skin of photovoltaic tiles supported by exposed timber rafters. The shape of the theater evokes the free-flowing shapes of a performer’s costume and the Xhubleta, a bell-shaped folk skirt traditionally worn by women in Kosovo.
images by IMIGO, bucharest.studio, bloomimages, courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
Welcoming visitors with a grand civic staircase, the site’s central location provides convenient pedestrian access at both street level via Garibaldi Street and above street level via the podium of the Palace of Youth & Sports. The existing podium of the Palace of Youth & Sports will be extended to merge seamlessly with the theater, simultaneously improving pedestrian connectivity and activating the podium as a vibrant public space. The building footprint is shaped by a ‘pushing’ and ‘pulling’ to create space for each of the primary program elements of the building. The theater’s undulating form also naturally indicates the locations of entrances and key spaces, which welcome guests into a ‘public room’ that is approachable and welcoming from all sides. Serving all four auditoria, the lobby is flooded in natural light from a central skylight, exuding a warm and inviting atmosphere that contrasts with the sleek and dynamic exterior.
‘The design for the Opera & Ballet Theater of Kosovo allows for the flexibility to accommodate the precise needs of the organizations who will occupy the spaces within, whilst providing a modern facility that can elicit joy and delight for future generations of visitors and performers alike. The theater’s design symbolizes a new era of the arts and culture of Kosovo – with the potential to touch the heart of everyone who experiences it,’ comments Andy Young, partner of BIG in London. ‘We are deeply honored to be entrusted with the design of the new home for the performing arts in a country that has gifted the world with an outsized cultural impact in the performing arts. Our design for the Opera & Ballet Theater of Kosovo is designed like an efficient factory for the fabrication of artistic performances. The rational nucleus is wrapped in a continuous canopy, creating an engaging public space open in all directions. The undulating roof creates a flowing and inviting gesture evocative of the Xhubleta, the traditional national dress of Kosovo,’ shares Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director of BIG.
The Concert Hall, Theater Hall, Recital Hall, Theater Room, and the Education and Conference Center all plug into a central service and back-of-house spine. Rehearsal spaces and administration spaces are stacked on top, creating a highly functional, legible, and compact program arrangement. A consistent design language unifies the interiors of the performance halls, utilizing curved timber elements to create sculptural yet highly functional environments. The main Concert Hall features intimate seating areas that weave and interlock seamlessly to offer optimal views of the stage, while the three-tiered Theater Hall offers a grand yet intimate setting, supported by a full-height fly tower and concealed technical bridges. The adaptable Theater Room and the elegantly proportioned Recital Hall provide further flexibility for diverse artistic expressions. Across all performance spaces, the predominantly matte timber aesthetic is contrasted by the lustre of deep velvet upholstery and acoustic curtains particular to each venue. Strategically spaced timber layers enhance acoustic performance by integrating sound-absorbing materials.
The building is framed by an elegant hardscape of natural stone along with a series of landscaped ‘islands’ and winding paths. These islands will be planted with a diversity of vegetation, including beech trees that will promote biodiversity, provide seasonal variation, and offer shelter from Tirana Street. By strategically placing all vehicle servicing beneath the podium extension, the site is liberated to become a new public park and plaza for Prishtina.
