The building for the Korça Icon Museum was originally a structure of columns and floor slabs (maison domino) abandoned when communism collapsed in Albania. The Albanian office DEA Studio sh.p.k. were comissioned to design facades and BOLLES+WILSON were then asked by the municipality of Korça to design and develop an interior exhibition design for the 300 orthodox icons.

© Roman Mensing

Architects: Bolles + Wilson

Location: Korçë, Albania

Architects In Charge: Prof. Julia B. Bolles-Wilson, Peter Wilson

Area: 360.0 m2

Project Year: 2016

Photographs: Roman Mensing

Client: Municipality of Korçë

Original Architect: DEA Studio
© Roman Mensing

The building for the Korça Icon Museum was originally a structure of columns and floor slabs (maison domino) abandoned when communism collapsed in Albania. The Albanian office DEA Studio sh.p.k. were comissioned to design facades and BOLLES+WILSON were then asked by the municipality of Korça to design and develop an interior exhibition design for the 300 orthodox icons.

© Roman Mensing

The heavy walls on the exterior with their small windows were intended to give an appropriate medieval reading. The small windows from the inside did give an appropriate mysterious atmosphere but in terms of viewing Icons they were ...