
150 international architects from Europe, Asia, North and South America, who work in Albania, together with their partners, have gathered in Tirana for the "Bread & Heart" Festival.
This afternoon, the second part of the works of this festival began, with new discussions.
One of the most vocal architects, the Japanese Toyo Ito, could not be physically part of this festival in the capital, but he joined through a video message, while also talking about his two projects in Albania.
"The festival has invited me, unfortunately I will not be able to participate due to the condition of my feet, but I am involved in two projects. In the residential master plan. Both are exciting projects. Rama asked me to express my thoughts in the fullest possible way, which gave me a lot of courage and I would like to do my best. A friend of mine once told me 'civilization is the separation from the earth, while culture is the entry into the earth' culture has its roots in the Earth, I strongly believe in this. I think that the Albanian project is quite attractive and in contact with the land. Modernist architecture is expected to be more detached from the earth, and Tokyo is no exception, but I have high hopes for Albania in this regard. This festival will create excellent results," he said.
Immediately after Ito's message, Prime Minister Rama also took the floor for a moment, showing the conversation he had with the architect about his works in our country.
"I couldn't stay without sharing something with you about the master we just heard and tell them why he says he let me express my opinions. We had a conversation via zoom where the project was being presented. The master plan was as much as this circle and then a second level of buildings covered by clouds, it was clear that there was something wrong. The second level didn't seem to me strongly in the nature of Toyo Ito. Instinct told me that it was the client's job, and she told me that it was to accommodate the client's request. I said what if we remove the buildings with the cloud and leave the first layer ourselves? And we leave what was in the first layer. After the silence came the question...
'Is it possible for you? I told him it's up to you. so the decision was made, in a Japanese form like with a knife cut, and the master plan is great is completely Toyo Ito. It's completely Tojo Ito. Albania did not take the stain of shame for interfering in Toyo Ito's way of thinking and so he said 'thank you for letting me express myself fully'. Ada had to manage the client's trauma successfully", said Rama humorously.