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PLAN / Over 30 buildings will be demolished to build towers behind the National Museum

2025-04-08 16:45:30Fokus SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

 

Over 17,000 m2 of land in the center of Tirana, where there are currently about 35 buildings, including four palaces up to 9 floors, as well as the public buildings of the Metropolitan Theater and the municipality's "Info-Point", are expected to be razed to make way for a plan for towers.

This was learned on Monday during the international competition for the so-called Masterplan of the Center of Tirana, an architectural competition that aimed to redesign one of the most coveted areas by builders: the space in the center behind the National History Museum next to "Zogu I Boulevard", known as the area of ​​the former Circus (demolished in 2021 after the land was returned to the owners).

The area is located between the non-public “Albanian University” (formerly UFO) and the “Sinan Tafaj” high school. It is a space packed with old apartments, palaces, and buildings with cultural and educational functions.

PLAN / Over 30 buildings will be demolished to build towers behind the National
The area where the "Center Master Plan" is planned to be implemented.

The winning proposal was the proposal by the French studio l'AUC. They proposed the construction of four commercial, residential and hotel towers – one over 150 meters high – and next to them a public palace (Palazzo Civico) with halls for performances, exhibitions, a theater and a cinema.

The jury, composed of foreign architects such as Xaveer De Geyter, or Bjarne Mastenbroek and Albanian urban planning and political officials, including Prime Minister Edi Rama, praised the AUC's idea for its "sculptural and poetic approach."

However, in the end, the jury suggested that the French studio review its strategy for a more realistic plan and lower construction costs. For this, it was advised to collaborate with other architects.

While 3D models presented the so-called “Masterplan for the Center” as another “step forward” for the capital, citizens were not told how this stage was reached. No media or public institution provided details on this point.

No official master plan document was made public before the jury's decision. Similarly, there is nothing published about the agreements between public authorities and private entities in the area.

PLAN / Over 30 buildings will be demolished to build towers behind the National
The proposal of the French studio l'AUC for the development of the former Tirana Circus area in the center.

There is no social impact report, no record of consultation with residents, and no information has been released on what will happen to them or the current functions of the buildings that are proposed to be demolished.

In parallel, the following studios also participated in the competition: Marco Casamonti's Archea, Nieto Sobejano, Groupwork, Go Hasegawa, Cobe, etc. All presented similar visions for towers with high construction intensity.

At this point, the master plan adds more tall buildings to the downtown skyline, which currently has at least eight tall buildings around it.

"Development away from citizens"

The competition was promoted by Veliaj Construction, a company owned by Astrit Veliaj, a well-known entrepreneur in the fields of dentistry, private education, and construction. Veliaj has built large neoclassical-style buildings – not without controversy – in Durrës, Berat, Fier, and Tirana.

He had a past as a politician in the ranks of the Democratic Party, where he was also a member of parliament.

The participation of renowned international studios in the competition raised expectations for a project with real architectural value. But without transparency and public involvement, even the best competition risks becoming a legitimizing instrument for a development conceived without the community.

It was not clear to the public what the entrepreneur Veliaj was doing with the competition. What role he will have in developing the vision of l'AUC, what role the municipality will have, and what the public is expected to benefit from this project, apart from the new spaces for the Metropolitan Theatre and the Info-Point.

This project is just one of dozens of rapid urban developments taking place in the capital – from concrete towers in the center to the northern terminal, where it is not clear whether it is being built legally.

In these cases, it appears that urban planning has moved from an institutional and public process to a private enterprise in collaboration with central and local governments.

The lack of transparency, citizen participation and long-term plans for the social development of the city has become the norm. Tirana is not growing, it is shrinking for the majority and expanding for the minority. / Citizens.al

PLAN / Over 30 buildings will be demolished to build towers behind the National
The towers around the center and their heights.
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