Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has revealed plans for two significant developments in Tirana’s rapidly expanding Kodra e Diellit district: The Nest, a multifamily residential community, and The Cascades, a mixed-use hospitality and residential extension to the existing Arka Art Hotel. Together, the projects demonstrate the increasing role of performance-driven architecture, sustainable materials, and climate-responsive design in Albania’s evolving construction sector.

Located on the southern hillside of Tirana, Kodra e Diellit has become one of the Albanian capital’s most sought-after residential areas, benefiting from panoramic city views, extensive green spaces, and growing transport connectivity. As demand rises for more diverse housing options beyond traditional villas and townhouses, The Nest introduces a range of one- to three-bedroom apartments tailored to young professionals, families, and retirees.

The development spans four plots organized around a central community park featuring native Mediterranean landscaping. ZHA employed extensive environmental analysis, mapping factors such as solar radiation, prevailing winds, humidity, rainfall, and topography to inform the design. These datasets were integrated into advanced digital models to optimise building orientation, apartment layouts, and façade performance.

A key feature of The Nest is its passive environmental strategy. Façades have been calibrated to harness Tirana’s prevailing easterly winds, enabling natural cross-ventilation throughout the apartments. Deep façade recesses, cantilevered balconies, and sheltered terraces reduce solar heat gain while maintaining access to daylight. According to ZHA, the design allows natural light to reach 95.3% of occupied spaces.

Targeting LEED v4.1 Residential BD+C: Multifamily Homes Gold certification, The Nest incorporates a comprehensive sustainability strategy. A full life-cycle assessment indicates an embodied carbon intensity of 471 kgCO₂e/m², substantially below the regional average of 566 kgCO₂e/m². Material selections include modular construction methods, recycled aggregates, terracotta cladding, and reduced reliance on higher-carbon curtain wall systems.

Landscape design also plays a critical role. More than 55% of the site is dedicated to green space, exceeding LEED open-space requirements by 83.3%. Native planting, permeable paving, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, photovoltaic systems, bicycle facilities, and EV charging infrastructure contribute to the development’s low-carbon ambitions.

Complementing The Nest, The Cascades expands the Arka Art Hotel with a new 120-room hotel wing, a 60-metre extension of the existing swimming pool, and a residential component integrated into the hillside above a shared podium. The project introduces two landscaped courtyards designed as social and recreational spaces while maximising views across Tirana.

The architecture responds directly to the site’s topography through a series of cascading terraces that blend built form with the surrounding landscape. Digital environmental modelling informed decisions regarding building orientation, solar exposure, façade-to-floor ratios, and structural efficiency.

Materiality is central to the project’s sustainability objectives. The podium is constructed using locally quarried limestone, while façades feature lightweight glass-fibre reinforced concrete (GRC) panels inspired by the region’s geological textures and colours. Cast on-site in modular sections, the GRC panels reduce transportation requirements and structural loads while lowering material consumption by up to 70% compared to conventional alternatives.

Additional features include green roofs, rainwater collection systems, greywater recycling, external solar shading, hybrid natural ventilation with heat recovery, and durable low-maintenance finishes. Together, The Nest and The Cascades highlight how data-driven design, local materials, and environmental performance can shape the next generation of residential and hospitality developments in Southeast Europe.

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