PROJECT DETAILS
The building is a shining paragon of parametric architecture, as it was designed using a bioclimatic analysis to achieve optimum energy efficiency. WICONA's WICTEC 50 façade system was customised to accommodate the specific needs of the project.
The Italian architectural firm SOA Architecture, founded by Eurind Caka and Stefano Bastia, designed the new Sami Frashëri School in Tirana (Albania). Nestled in a frantic cityscape, the building impressively stands out for its essential, elegant and regular geometry, a distinctive identity that serves as a symbol of urban rebirth and regeneration. Its two structural volumes intertwine and overlap, creating common spaces and inner courtyards that converge into a square at the main entrance, facilitating social interaction between students and the local community. The new Sami Frashëri School aspires to be a stimulating environment with plenty of natural light and flexible classrooms designed to adapt to the specific needs of each course.
With its vertical foils, WICONA's unique WICTEC 50 façade is the absolute centrepiece of the building
The new Sami Frashëri School is a paragon of parametric architecture. The initial stages of the project entailed a bioclimatic analysis to define strategies for ensuring the building's comfort and energy performance throughout the year. With a temperate and humid climate, Tirana is known for its extremely hot summers, cold winters and intense solar radiation levels, all crucial factors when designing the building's iconic façade with WICONA's WICTEC 50 mullion-transom technology. With a slender visible profile of only 50 mm, this façade system exemplifies remarkable design adaptability, conforming to the bioclimatic features of the environment and accommodating various adjustments without compromising its aesthetic appeal. The vertical foils of various depths and contours were added to create a sense of movement on the façade, simultaneously protecting against direct sunlight by providing shaded areas without compromising visibility.
WICONA's WICSTYLE 75 evo door system was also installed in the Frashëri School, and boasts bevelled profiles and classic lines, an ideal choice for modern, energy-efficient buildings. The decision to use WICONA systems went beyond energy efficiency and design concerns. Environmental sustainability was also a clincher, since all WICONA solutions are manufactured from Hydro CIRCAL® 75R post-consumer recycled aluminium, comprising at least 75% recycled aluminium with one of the lowest carbon footprints worldwide: 1.9 kg CO2/kg aluminium (vs. the European average of 8.63 kg CO2/kg aluminium). An immediately distinctive urban landmark by virtue of its unique design and excellent performance, the new Sami Frashëri School also aspires to set the standard for sustainable buildings in the city of Tirana.
