“Comment is free, but facts are sacred.” — C. P. Scott, 1921.
The 5 finalists for the project that will relocate “Zyber Hallulli”
Erblin Vukaj · Originally published: 17 November 2025
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The finalists and the second stage of the competition
The Albanian Investment Corporation (KISH) has published the list of five groups qualifying for the second stage of the competition for a design proposal and investment in the “Inspectorates Complex” and the “New ‘Zyber Hallulli’ Children’s Home”, planned for construction on “Gramoz Pashko” Street.
The announcement came two weeks after Citizens.al reported on plans to erect a multi-storey building on the children’s home’s current site on Elbasani Road, prompting discussion about transparency and the fate of public institutions in the capital’s most sought-after areas.
According to the announcement made public on 10 November, KISH selected five proposals from a total of 13 applications submitted with concept designs in the first stage of the competitive procedure.
Those qualifying for the second stage are:
- MOTUS with collaborators Asab, Son Engineering & Construction, Rojkind Arquitectos S.C and Julian Kasharaj
- BE-IS and CEBRA Arkitekter A/S, with LOFT Architects and Superflex Studio*
- Gruppo Koni SRL, which includes Stefano Boeri Architetti, Gross.Max, AEI Progetti and artist Patrick Tuttofuoco, together with local contractors
- PROGEEN with Taller Hector Barroso, Studio B&L, Doriana Bleta, Agim Seranaj and Ardian Paci
- DIAGONAL Projektim & Zbatim + ASL shpk with Carrilho da Graca Arquitectos
The application by “BE-IS” (Hamz Islamaj’s business) qualified on condition that it translate its financial statements within 20 days.
According to KISH, these 5 applications meet the technical criteria of the first stage and will be invited to submit full proposals after the appeals period ends. That period formally ends on Tuesday 18 November, seven days after receipt of the notification.
No date has been published for the second stage, when the competition winners will be announced and the finalists awarded 40,000 euros each.
In its other calls, KISH has generally allowed a three-month interval between stages, meaning the winner of the competition for the “Zyber Hallulli” children’s home is likely to be announced in January or February 2026.
Relocating the children’s home and developing its site
The competition aims to select the winning design for a new multifunctional complex of at least 17 storeys on the site currently occupied by the children’s home, and to relocate the home, together with the labour inspectorate, to new premises on “Gramoz Pashko” Street, at the former residences of East German diplomats.
The process nevertheless continues to generate public debate, as the land lies in one of Tirana’s most expensive urban areas and the merging of social functions with commercial development has raised questions about the government’s priorities.
It should be stressed that KISH had offered the former German villas area on “Gramoz Pashko” Street as an incentive for the investor who would undertake construction of the new National Library at the former Republican Guard site, allowing a tower of up to 25 storeys to be built. That call failed twice to attract interest.
The companies and KISH’s other negotiations
Of those on the preliminary list for the “Zyber Hallulli” call, “Progeen” and “Diagonal Projektim & Zbatim” have competed in and won previous KISH calls.
Since April, “Diagonal Projektim & Zbatim” (Nikolin Jaka’s business), in partnership with “Albanian Investment Construction” (Alban Peza’s business), has been negotiating with the Corporation over the project to revitalise “Selman Stërmasi” Stadium.
In their winning bid, they offered the Corporation 46.5% of the 103.5 thousand m2 of new construction on state-owned land. At the end of October, KISH told Citizens.al that no contract had yet been signed because “negotiations are continuing”.
“Progeen” (Genc Kuçuku’s business) is also negotiating with KISH, after “Aiba Kompani” (Armand Duka’s business) withdrew in September from constructing the Government Complex in Komuna e Parisit in exchange for permission to build the three 25-storey “VOID Tower” towers at the former Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATSH) site.
“Progeen” offered 45% of the floor area, compared with “Aiba’s” 46.1%. KISH confirmed to Citizens.al that negotiations were continuing.
Together with the call for the “revitalisation” of the Asllan Rusi Sports Palace, where MVRDV’s project has been taken on by Trema Tech (Ilir and Bledar Trebicka’s business) and two Netherlands-based companies, these are the three calls for which KISH is officially negotiating development contracts on public properties in Tirana.