Two mixed use towers between the mountains and the sea draw on Tomorri marble and the geometry of traditional Albanian weaving

Portuguese architecture and urbanism studio OODA has designed "DUAS Towers," a mixed-use development in Vlorë, southwestern Albania. The two towers combine hotel, retail, and residential programmes, each rising 98 metres across 24 floors and a rooftop level. Rather than creating architecture that asserts itself against its surroundings, the project begins with proportion, material, light, and an attentive reading of place. Its façades are clad in Tomorri marble selected through a study of Albania's geology, connecting the architecture directly to the landscape between the mountains and the sea.

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Tomorri marble selected from the geology of Albania

The design process for "DUAS Towers" began with a search for a material that would give way to the landscape rather than stand in opposition to it. OODA examined eight stones found across Albania, including metamorphic rocks from the inland ranges, igneous rocks closer to the coast, and limestone and sandstone from the lowlands. The search led to Tomorri marble, sourced approximately 60 kilometres from the site. Almost free of veining and with little colour of its own, the white marble changes character according to the surrounding light. It appears cool at first light, takes on the tones of the hills across the bay in the late afternoon, and approaches the colour of the sky at dusk. The intention is not for the architecture to disappear, but for it to avoid asserting itself against its setting.

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Three elements derived from a block of stone

The architectural composition is defined by three elements: a horizontal slab at the base, a vertical slab standing above it, and a second horizontal slab returning at the top. The concept originates from the rectangular stone block as it leaves the quarry. When laid horizontally, the block works in bending, while when stood vertically it works primarily in compression. OODA translates these two conditions, comparable to the lintel and pier of traditional masonry construction, into the organising principle of the project. Both towers share the same architectural logic but differ in plan. One has a quadrangular footprint measuring 30 by 25 metres, while the other is circular with a diameter of 26 metres. "Duas," the Portuguese word for "two," refers to this paired composition. The façade geometry also draws from the weaving traditions of southern Albania. The "rrodhe," a motif found in traditional rugs, is translated not as applied ornament but as a stepped figure that determines the silhouette, cladding arrangement, and rhythm of the elevations.

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A three dimensional façade shaped by light and views

Tomorri white marble clads both towers throughout. Blade-like elements project beyond the slab edges, directing views toward the landscape while reducing low-angle solar exposure on the glazing. These projecting elements give the elevations a depth that shifts throughout the day as shadows move across the stone. The massing responds to four principal conditions: views toward the sea, setbacks from neighbouring buildings, the irregular geometry of the two plots, and the intention to keep the ground floor open to public life. Sun-path analysis determines the position of the towers so that neither blocks the other's access to daylight. Below grade are parking and services, followed by commercial spaces at street level, hotel floors and residential floors above, with a skybar and restaurant occupying the roof. Residential, hotel, and restaurant circulation are organised through dedicated cores.

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Connecting local material with environmental performance

At ground level, gardens planted with Hungarian oak, sycamore, and myrtle create a transition between the buildings and the surrounding streets. Rooftop planting is composed of species able to withstand dry summers, including wild olive, rosemary, sage, mountain tea, lavender, and Albanian spurge. The structural strategy is also being studied through the lens of material impact. Three alternatives for reducing cement content in the binder are under consideration: 30 percent metakaolin, 40 percent blast-furnace slag, and 30 percent Seratech silica. Part of the coarse aggregate is planned to come from nearby demolition and street works, including crushed concrete, reclaimed asphalt pavement, and recycled glass. The envelope follows a similar approach. Conventional gypsum board and extruded polystyrene are replaced by biobased alternatives such as hemp-clay boards, wood-fibre boards and insulation, and cellulose made from recycled paper. Rainwater is collected for reuse by occupants and for irrigation. The environmental approach is organised around four themes: energy and water management, health and wellbeing, biodiversity, and material selection. Through locally sourced stone, the geometry of traditional weaving, landscape, and changing light, "DUAS Towers" translates characteristics of place into architectural structure. Rather than seeking monumentality solely through form, OODA proposes two towers whose identity emerges from a close reading of Vlorë and its material landscape.

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About OODA

Rooted in Porto, they practice architecture in dialogue with context— renewing what is there while opening what is next. Over fifteen years, they’ve grown from a written twoperson pact into a studio defined by method, not signature: observe, orient, experiment, decide, act. Every commission is a careful rehearsal of tomorrow—local intelligence, global reference.