Author: Dallandyshe Xhaferri
The project aimed at turning the Pyramid into an innovation center, focusing mainly on technology and education, cost 1.6 billion ALL. Today, the spaces of the Pyramid, once an icon of communism, are shelters for private businesses, including restaurants. The investment was made by the Municipality of Tirana and AADF (Albanian-American Foundation for Development).
The first tender opened on August 3, 2020 with a value of ALL 1.4 billion was won by "Fusha" shpk and "EDIL-AL-IT" shpk. Although the works were expected to close within 24 months, in October 2022 the same companies won without competition the second tender worth over 228 million ALL.
The investment was made on Friday to turn the Pyramid into an innovation center, where students after school can get knowledge in the field of programming, animation, design, etc.
In the agreement signed between AADF and Tirana Municipality, it is determined that both parties will cooperate for the creation and establishment of the Pyramid Center, in order to realize the TUMO project, an innovation center for students aged 12-18 that was inaugurated a month ago first, on October 16. The board of this non-profit organization consists of 4 members selected by AADF and 3 selected by the Municipality of Tirana, which simultaneously selects the chairman of the board. The center is responsible for the management of the pyramid building, which consists of 4 floors and a "-1" floor with a total area of 120 m2.
Ina Zekaj, project manager of AADF, tells "Sinjalizo" that this foundation has invested 8.5 million dollars in the revival of the Pyramid.which includes the subcontracting of the architectural studio and the design service of the building, or the introduction of the TUMO model in Albania, based on the international TUMO Center model", Zekaj explains, adding that out of the four floors of the pyramid, only the first two floors are available to the innovation center, TUMO.
On the official website pyramid in the column "Rent" it is indicated that there is no more free space in the building for those interested
"The building will also host businesses from the service and hospitality sector such as food and beverage. Whether you are an established business, a start-up or a freelancer, you will find the perfect environment to grow and succeed,”- it is stated on the web page, while the public spaces around the Pyramid will be placed in function of the activities that will be carried out by these subjects.
Shqipe Berisha, director of the Pyramid Center, says that the demands of businesses to operate in the Pyramid building have been numerous, starting from technological education companies, telecommunications, etc. According to her, the businesses that will be located in the rented premises are selected based on the proposals for the development of the center, but she does not specify which businesses have won this right and what criteria they have fulfilled, leaving it unclear whether the winners are businesses with innovation focus or not.
"There will be several restaurants for the flow of local and foreign visitors. All the revenues collected from the activity of the Pyramid will go to the operation and expansion of TUMO Tirana",- says Berisha, who avoids answering about the price of rent in the Pyramid building,-"activity and events in the Pyramid will enable the interaction of all ecosystem factors in the region".
So far, 13% of the surface of the Pyramid will be made available to businesses such as restaurants and cafes, while 7% of the space will be made available to "electronic retail" businesses, i.e., businesses dealing with the trade of technological equipment. Data obtained from the Pyramid Center specify that 14% of the building's total space will be used for cultural and art activities. In other words, 40 m2 of the Pyramid will be placed in function of activities not related to innovation. 66% of the Pyramid's space will be totally available for innovation, of this capacity TUMO occupies 48% of the space. This means that only 16% of the Pyramid's space is rented by businesses with a technology development focus.
Currently, a second level bank, an insurance company and the European College have started to set up their office in the buildings around the Pyramid.
According to the agreement, in the first two years the Center will provide financial support from the two co-founders, where in the first year AADF and the Municipality will contribute the same capital, while in the second year the municipality will cover 70% of the budget . At the same time, the local government is responsible for solving legal and financial issues that will concern any entity that has rights over any surface of the Pyramid.
The Pyramid of Tirana, pending since 2016
In 2016, the Pyramid of Tirana passed from the Ministry of Culture to the ownership of the Municipality of Tirana. That time mayor Veliaj stated that the Pyramid would be placed at the disposal of citizens to make public activities accessible.
"The municipality has a very ambitious project to turn the Pyramid into a public space, to return it to the citizens of Tirana, to make it accessible for public activities, so I believe that as the last time we meet at the Pyramid, I believe we will remember and this metaphor of how spaces that are very attractive in the center of the city and that are symbols of our city, can be turned into functional ones for the benefit of the citizens", - said Veliaj.
Two years later, in 2018, the agreement was signed between the Municipality of Tirana and the AADF to turn the Pyramid into a multifunctional center.
Investments in the Pyramid have also been accompanied by a transformation of the appearance of the building and its surrounding area.
"The opening of the building to the light, the many staircases that have replaced the former sloping sides, the buildings randomly "thrown" like cubes by a child, the planting of many plants around have created a brand new and modern building for us", - says Edmond Hali, architect for more than 30 years, for "Sinjalizo".
"The goal of the architect was precisely to destroy the harmony and elegance that the shape of the pyramid has in itself, replacing it with a 'chaos' of forms", says Hali, adding that the harmony of the pyramid has been destroyed to be replaced by a other.
"The pyramid was made with the best materials of the time. The quality of the works was very high and this gave it outstanding architectural value. The realization of these additions and changes was made with cheap and low-quality materials", - says Hali, emphasizing that ladders pose a real danger since no measures have been taken to protect their users.
"It is a good architectural idea but poorly executed", - concludes the architect.
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