Project Name: Vet Hospital Tirana

Location: Tiranë, Albania

Design Team: Davide Macullo Architects

Total Floor Area: 712 m²

Completion: 2024

Photography: Leonit Ibrahimi

Design Features:

Project - Located in Tirana, Albania, the Veterinary Hospital designed by Davide Macullo Architects represents a revolutionary breakthrough in medical architecture design, challenging conventional veterinary clinic stereotypes through its flowing concrete forms and landscape-integrated approach. This 712-square-meter facility completed in 2024 transforms the typical clinical environment into what the architect describes as "an entirely different world" — a healing space where sculptural curves replace rigid institutional geometry, embodying the design philosophy that "architecture is the most complete art form."

The hospital's most striking feature is its undulating exterior, where brutalist concrete is masterfully shaped into soft, organic waves that appear to rise gracefully from the natural landscape. These fluid forms create a deliberate contrast with the building's rational interior functional layout, establishing what Macullo calls "a sense of wonder and harmony" that effectively eliminates the psychological barriers and fears typically associated with medical facilities. Rather than imposing itself on the site, the architecture emerges as a series of sculptural gestures that remain almost camouflaged within their surroundings, defying immediate recognition as a traditional veterinary clinic.

The hospital's spatial organization demonstrates sophisticated understanding of spatial psychology, particularly in creating appropriate environments for different animal species. Following principles similar to human healthcare design, the hospital ensures that natural adversaries such as cats and dogs feel secure and comfortable during treatment through thoughtful separation strategies and circulation planning. Therapeutic terraces and gardens extend the healing environment outdoors, providing animal patients with abundant natural light, fresh air, and direct contact with nature — elements that hold significant therapeutic value for animal recovery.

The architectural language skillfully merges soft organic forms with the raw strength of brutalist concrete, achieving balance between practicality and aesthetic depth. Interior spaces are carefully planned with full consideration of different species' psychological needs, ensuring all animals feel safe and relaxed within the medical environment. This project represents an important component of Albania's "renaissance of intelligent and beautiful institutions," demonstrating the country's efforts to balance between rigid, dogmatic architecture and a more humanistic, nature-centered design approach as it opens itself to the world.

Design Team - Davide Macullo Architects, founded in 2000 by Swiss architect Davide Macullo in Lugano, Switzerland, is an internationally renowned interdisciplinary design practice dedicated to bridging contextual sensitivity with contemporary architectural innovation. The firm's design philosophy centers on "drawing from context," creating sophisticated dialogue between project specificity and universal design principles.

Macullo gained extensive experience as project architect in Mario Botta's atelier for two decades (1990-2010), accumulating rich experience across over 200 international projects. Under his leadership, the studio has evolved into a multidisciplinary design service encompassing masterplanning, architecture, interior design, and custom furniture production. The practice is currently led by Macullo alongside Senior Associate Architects Lorenza Tallarini (since 2006) and Aileen Forbes-Munnelly (since 2009), supported by an international team of skilled architects and designers.

This collaborative structure enables the firm to deliver comprehensive design solutions across diverse architectural typologies and scales. Davide Macullo Architects' portfolio demonstrates remarkable versatility, encompassing healthcare facilities, hospitality projects, residential developments, and cultural institutions across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Recent recognition including multiple Architizer A+ Awards and international design accolades has established the firm's reputation for creating architecturally significant projects.

The firm's architectural philosophy transcends purely formal aesthetic responsibilities, embracing the social and environmental dimensions of their work. They believe that spaces should not only be functional but should evoke emotion, provoke thought, and enhance the well-being of those who inhabit them. This philosophy manifests in their challenge to orthodoxy and infusion of design with joy, flair, and deep understanding of spatial psychology. By transforming passion, enthusiasm, and vision into physical spaces, Davide Macullo Architects creates more than just buildings — they craft meaningful places that truly resonate with life, culture, and nature.