Architectural Cases

OODA's DUAS Towers project in Vlorë, Albania, introduces two distinctive mixed-use high-rises that blend modern architectural principles with deep local influences. These 98-meter structures, one circular and one rectangular, are not merely functional buildings but also artistic expressions, drawing inspiration from traditional Albanian rug patterns and utilizing locally sourced materials. The design emphasizes both aesthetic coherence and environmental responsibility, aiming to create a significant landmark on the Albanian coastline.

Positioned along Albania's picturesque southern coast in Vlorë, a city nestled between mountains and the Adriatic Sea, the DUAS Towers by OODA are designed as a striking pair of 98-meter mixed-use buildings. The name "Duas," meaning "two" in Portuguese, aptly describes the project's dual nature. Despite their differing geometries—one tower being circular (26 meters in diameter) and the other quadrangular (30 by 25 meters)—both structures share a unified architectural system. This system consists of a horizontal base, a central vertical slab, and a crowning horizontal element, creating a harmonious yet distinct visual profile. The facade's unique stepped pattern, a modern interpretation of the traditional Albanian "rrodhe" rug motif, organizes the building's contours and the arrangement of its stone cladding, seamlessly integrating cultural heritage into contemporary design.

A key element driving the design and aesthetic of the DUAS Towers is the extensive use of Tomorri white marble. OODA meticulously selected this material from a quarry approximately 60 kilometers inland after evaluating eight different Albanian stone options. The marble's minimal veining provides a highly responsive surface, causing the facades to subtly change color throughout the day. In the morning, they exhibit a cool white hue, transitioning to warmer tones as the sun descends, reflecting the colors of the surrounding landscape and the bay. This material choice extends beyond mere aesthetics, influencing the structural language of the towers. OODA's design concept began by considering the proportions of a rectangular quarry block and the behavior of stone when positioned both horizontally and vertically. This fundamental understanding guided the overall composition of each tower, with marble-clad blades projecting from the elevations. These blades not only shade the glass from direct sunlight but also frame outward views, with their shifting shadows adding depth and character to the pale stone surfaces.

The strategic placement of the DUAS Towers on two irregular plots maximizes their views towards the sea. Both towers feature 24 floors topped with additional rooftop levels. A comprehensive sun-path study informed their orientation to ensure optimal daylight access for each volume. The distinct footprints of the towers also facilitate varied interactions with adjacent urban structures; the rectangular tower engages with the city through its corners, while the circular tower presents a continuous edge. At street level, the buildings recede, creating more expansive public spaces around their bases. The interiors are programmed for diverse uses, with hotel rooms and residences on the upper floors, retail spaces facing the street, and hospitality amenities situated on the rooftops. Separate circulation cores efficiently manage access for different users. Landscaped gardens, featuring drought-tolerant plants like wild olive and rosemary suited to Vlorë's dry summers, soften the transition to the surrounding streets and extend overhead to the rooftops.

Beyond the facade, the project delves into sustainable material research, investigating lower-carbon binder mixes that incorporate alternatives to cement, such as metakaolin and blast-furnace slag. The integration of recycled aggregate from local demolition and street works into the concrete mix is also being explored, further embedding the structure within the city's material cycle. These initiatives are currently under evaluation as the DUAS Towers navigate the licensing phase. Similarly, the building envelope proposes using hemp-clay and wood-fiber products as alternatives to conventional insulation, alongside rainwater harvesting systems for onsite reuse. From a distance, the towers are easily identifiable, their shared architectural language distinguishing them through their geometric variations—a rectangular form and a circular one—transforming simple quarry blocks and woven patterns into iconic coastal landmarks.

The installation, titled "Ninefold: A Distributed Resonant Field," reimagines discarded 3D printing polymers into a collection of nine expansive, resonant forms that intricately sculpt acoustic and visual environments. This collaborative endeavor, brought to fruition by architect Hyojin Kwon, composer Jeremy Muller, and material researcher Misri Patel, fuses architectural principles with musical composition, computational design, and advanced digital fabrication techniques. The initiative champions sustainability by sourcing polylactic acid (PLA) waste from university fabrication labs, which is then processed into pellets and blended with new material for large-scale additive manufacturing. This method deliberately showcases the recycled origins of the material, allowing its inherent variations in opacity, color, and layered texture to become integral to the aesthetic and narrative of each sculpture.

These unique structures are not merely static art pieces; they are interactive elements within a curated exhibition. The project delves into the possibilities of transforming waste into functional art, where the imperfections and unique characteristics of recycled plastic are celebrated rather than concealed. The accompanying exhibition, "Plastic Reimagined: Material Agency & Circular Design," complements "Ninefold" by demonstrating the broader architectural applications of reclaimed plastics through innovative computational design and fabrication. Both projects collectively advocate for a paradigm shift from disposal to resourcefulness, positioning plastic waste as a valuable commodity for future design and environmental solutions.

Transforming Waste into Acoustic Landscapes

"Ninefold: A Distributed Resonant Field" is an innovative installation that converts recycled 3D printing materials into a series of nine large-scale sculptures. These forms collectively generate a unique sound field, integrating visual aesthetics with auditory experiences. Developed by architect Hyojin Kwon, musician Jeremy Muller, and researcher Misri Patel, the project exemplifies a multidisciplinary approach, merging architectural design with musical elements and digital manufacturing. By using repurposed PLA plastic, the creators aim to highlight the potential of discarded materials, celebrating their imperfections as part of the artwork's visual and tactile qualities.

Each of the nine sculptures is computationally designed using reaction-diffusion algorithms, leading to diverse and continuously evolving shapes that twist, expand, and contract. These variations in form contribute to each object's unique resonant properties, allowing them to be tuned to specific frequencies within a harmonic spectrum. As a collective, these artifacts create a dispersed sound environment, rather than focusing sound from a single point. Visitors moving through the installation experience shifting combinations of acoustic and visual information, as their position alters the interaction between the resonant bodies and the generated sounds, fostering a dynamic and immersive sensory experience.

Recycled Plastic's Architectural & Artistic Potential

The project profoundly emphasizes the architectural and artistic potential embedded within recycled plastic. Rather than masking the origins of the materials, the fabrication process intentionally reveals variations in transparency, color, and layered deposition, transforming perceived flaws into unique features. This approach underscores how discarded materials, when coupled with computational design and advanced fabrication, can yield novel geometries, acoustic attributes, and spatial arrangements. The installation stands as a testament to the aesthetic and functional value that can be extracted from waste, demonstrating a powerful argument for circular design principles.

This innovative installation is showcased alongside "Plastic Reimagined: Material Agency & Circular Design" at the Reeves House Visual Arts Center, underscoring a broader exploration into the sustainable use of plastics in architecture. This joint exhibition not only presents the aesthetic and technical achievements of "Ninefold" but also engages the public in a dialogue about environmental responsibility and material innovation. Through this integrated approach, the project inspires reconsideration of waste as a valuable resource, fostering new perspectives on design and sustainability in the context of contemporary art and architecture.