BIG and ALB’s design for the new Opera & Ballet Theatre of Kosovo features a form inspired by traditional Xhubleta skirts.
T he Opera & Ballet Theatre of Kosovo, to be built in Kosovo’s capital, Prishtina, was commissioned by Kosovo’s Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport (MKRS) to serve as the future home of at least four cultural institutions – including the Kosovo Philharmonic, Ballet and Opera.
As Kosovo’s first opera house, the venue will be symbolic of both the country’s rich cultural heritage, and a new era. “We are deeply honoured to be entrusted with the design of the new home for the performing arts in a country that has gifted the world with an outsized cultural impact in the performing arts,” says Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director, BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group.
The building has been designed by BIG’s London studio in collaboration with ALB-Architect, with other project partners including Charcoalblue, bloomimages, bucharest.studio and IMIGO.
The 42,395m² (456,402.5ft²) multipurpose venue will house a 1,200-capacity Concert Hall, a 1,000-capacity Theatre Hall, a 300-seat Recital Hall, an adaptable Theatre Room, and an Education and Conference Centre.
The performance venues will be draped in an exterior skin made from photovoltaic tiles, creating a form evocative of a performer’s costume in motion, and the Xhubleta, a bell-shaped folk skirt traditional in Kosovo.
The undulating exterior form indicates entrances and key spaces. All four auditoria will be served by a central public lobby. This lobby is designed to offer a warm welcome, being accessible from all sides, and featuring a central skylight to allow lots of natural light.
The performance hall interiors have a consistent design language, incorporating predominantly matte timber, deep velvet upholstery and acoustic curtains particular to each venue. The Theatre Hall will have three tiers, a full-height rigging system and concealed technical bridges.
The public plaza outdoors is also being designed to integrate the venue elegantly with its neighbours, the Palace of Youth & Sports, the Fadil Vokrri Stadium and the Public Services Ministry. The theatre will have pedestrian access at street level and above it via the Palace of Youth & Sports’ podium, which is being extended to merge with the theatre’s grand outdoor staircase. The building is framed by a hardscape of natural stone along with landscaped ‘islands’, and winding paths.
This Auditoria Loves feature was written by Izzy Kington, and first published in November 2025 in the 2026 Annual Showcase issue of Auditoria.
