Introducing the Architectural, Urban, and Landscape Challenges of Albania

Albania inherits a diversity of unique natural and cultural landscapes of international importance. Unfortunately, the development programs related to urbanization, infrastructure and energy investments generate significant pressures on the native quality of these landscapes. This chapter discusses further the opportunities and threats that Albanian landscapes are facing. The post-socialist turbulent, uncontrolled chaotic urban development in Tirana, inescapably brings into discussion the existential meaning of its identity. In one side, the historical urban pattern of the city featured by pre-socialist and socialist layers, in the other side the disproportionate post socialist built environment has resulted in a hybrid cacophonic identity, which ask “quo vadis” Tirana. Nowadays, despite the great efforts from the municipality in making order in the “spontaneousness” generated in the post-socialist years, something is missing from Tirana development strategies. The new Masterplan (TR030) is lacking in appropriately considering two of the most profound aspects of the city; the scattered historic heritage, and that adaptive living city that creatively grew up within the Capital's super-blocks frame. Complementary strategies are needed. Furthermore, during the post-communist development there is a significant change in the housing design and construction paradigm. The traditional small scale Tirana houses are replaced by the large urban blocks with the minimal public and semi-public space. This resulted in the drastic increase of the urban density, which became one of the highest among the European cities. It is not easy to transform a community, and if Albania aims to join the standards of the other European countries, should consider the built environment. Through a citizen’s participation, and with their involvement in the design of the spaces, better-built environments will develop. Nevertheless, development and change start from children, thus a further challenge is to accept designing with them for them. Finally, Albanian households are endangered by energy poverty. A strong potential factor supporting this statement is the extremely low standard of construction of residential units during the construction boom in Albania (1990–2000), representing more than 83.7% of the building stock. Energy retrofitting represents an opportunity to upgrade or enable adequate energy performance for a building's life cycle.