the leaves is envisioned as an organic extension of nature
Envisioned to rise in Vlore, Albania’s Riviera, The Leaves by Davide Macullo Architects is an extension of its dramatic natural surroundings. The tower is an organic expression of nature, light, and place, seamlessly integrating into the terrain, its form responding to the land’s undulating contours and the rising treetops. Structured in two interlocking volumes, the building rotates upon itself to offer reflective surfaces for the Mediterranean light, while a three-dimensional hieratic facade of geometric planters allows for lush greenery to take root within its architecture. Prefabricated concrete panels, shaded in five tones to mirror the surrounding nature’s palette across the four seasons, further embed the structure within its context.
all images courtesy of Davide Macullo Architects
Davide Macullo carves geometric facade echoing the treetrops
Positioned between the sea and mountains, facing the sunset, the site’s geological formations guide the architectural approach. Davide Macullo Architects’ design references the natural forces shaping the land — its elevated ridges and carved valleys — embracing a philosophy of building in harmony with place rather than imposing upon it. The Leaves’ rotating volumes create reflective surfaces that interact with the ever-changing daylight, while the facade’s protruding elements deconstruct the volume, making it permeable and lightweight. These projections echo the leaves of the treetops, the refraction of light and shaded parts, offering sun protection in the summer and allowing the sun to filter into the interiors during winter months.
Avoiding technological interventions and ensuring a genuine approach to the Genius Loci, attention to sustainability is achieved through architectural elements alone. The perfectly square grid of the floor plan highlights the building’s central role relative to the land’s undulations. The square, being a centripetal form, acts as a pivot for the rotation of both its context and the projections, which evoke a spiral or helix movement.
envisioned to rise in Vlore, Albania’s Riviera
The Leaves by Davide Macullo Architects is an extension of its dramatic natural surroundings
the building rotates upon itself to offer reflective surfaces for the Mediterranean light
