Leaders of architecture from 10 countries reunited in Tirana | Remembering SHARE Albania 2023

The fifth edition of the International Architecture and Technology Innovation Forum, SHARE Albania 2023, took place on 7th of March 2023, emphasizing the themes of ”Sustainable Facades: Design and Technology”, “Living and Working Architecture”, “Large Scale Development Projects”. More than 250 participants attended the event.

The SHARE Albania 2023 Forum was organised by SHARE Architects in partnership with the Albanian Architects’ Associaton and the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, the Polytechnic University of Tirana, with the support of the Municipality of Tirana and The Albanian Ministry of Culture. All the applause goes to the companies Everest, Knauf, M Sora, R&M Group Albania, (partners), Hansgrohe, Linder, Saint Gobain,  IMMI Ceramica, Eden Decor Albania, VipSaloti (sponsors), our proud SHARE Community Partner Zumtobel and our cultural partner The Italian Cultural Institute in Tirana.

 

Official Opening

The official opening of SHARE Albania 2023 began with a warm welcome from our organisers and distinguished guests. We were honoured by the presence of the Albanian Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti, and the Mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, who opened the International Architecture and Technology Innovation Forum. Along with their warm opening words, Masar Dushi, President of the Architects Association of Kosovo, Armand Vokshi, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the Polytechnic University of Tirana, Matilda Pando, President of the Albanian Association of Architects (AAA), Florin Mindirigiu, Fondator SHARE Architects, Romania, addressed their thoughts to the enthusiastic audience.

 

SHARE OMNIA Award Ceremony

Maksim Mitrojorgji was honored with the SHARE OPERA OMNIA AWARD for his lifelong commitment to architecture and urban planning, his unwavering pursuit of architectural research, and his remarkable accomplishments in advancing and evolving architecture in Albania.

The award was handed out by of  The Albanian Minister of Culture, Elva Margariti in the presence of  Armand Vokshi, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, at the Polytechnic University of Tirana, Matilda Pando, President of Albanian Association of Architects (AAA), Florin Mindirigiu, Founder SHARE Architects.

 

 

Plenary Session #1

The first session was moderated by Loreta Çapeli, Lecturer Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Polytechnic University of Tirana.

 

Great Speaker Presentations

MATILDA PANDO, Founder MAT Architects, Albania | “Urban Requalification“

Case Studies: Industrial Building alongside the Tirana-Durrës highway; Residential building positioned at “Myslym Shyri” St. and “Gjergj Fishta” boulevard

Matilda Pando presented her exciting projects, including an Industrial Building alongside the Tirana-Durrës highway and a Residential building positioned at “Myslym Shyri” St. and “Gjergj Fishta” boulevard. Her main ideas revolved around urban requalification, with an emphasis on community involvement in the design process.

 

 

MARCO PETRESCHI, Founder Petreschi Architects, Italy  |“The Continuity of Italian Architecture in Tirana”

Case Studies: New addition and restoration of the Bank of Albania and of the former Hotel Dajti; the church of St. Theresa of Calcutta.

Throughout the presentation, Marco Petreschi emphasized the importance of maintaining harmony with history, materials, culture, and identity in the process of designing and restoring buildings. He emphasized the need to honor the concept of Genius loci, which is the essence of place, and to preserve the continuity between preexistence and both expressive and technological innovation.

 

 

CHRISTOS CHRISTODOULOU, Founder Simpraxis Studio, Cyprus |“Cultural interventions“

Case Studies: Unification of archaelogical site in Paphos; Markideio theatre

Christodoulou discussed the challenges of integrating culturally significant structures into existing urban fabric and how they can contribute value to public space. Christodoulou emphasized throughout the presentation the significance of respecting the context of the existing urban fabric and finding methods to integrate new buildings into the surrounding environment.

 

 

MARTIN JOSST, Partner Delugan Meissl Associated Architects, Austria  |“The Nature of Everything“

Case Studies: Taiyuan Botanical Garden; Shanghai Greenhouse; HOME House; Residential Greenhouse; Energy Transition

Martin Josst’s presentation explored the changing relationship between nature and enclosed space, which has been a long-standing interest of DMAA. Throughout the presentation, Josst highlighted the importance of integrating nature into the built environment in a way that enhances our relationship with the natural world. He emphasized the need for architecture to be responsive to its context and to take into account the ecological impact of its design. The case studies illustrated how sustainable design can improve people’s quality of life and help them coexist more peacefully with the natural environment.

 

 

Technical presentations in the first session

Standing ovations for our partners and supporters have innovative technical presentations, arousing the interest and curiosity of the public.

ALBERT VALTERI, CEO Everest Aluminium  | “Everest – Build a better world with quality aluminum profiles“

 

 

ERVIN MICI, Tech support Knauf Tirana, Albania

 

 

SHARE Society Debate: “Good living and working”

Throughout the debate, the panelists discussed the importance of designing buildings and public spaces that promote well-being and a sense of community. They explored the challenges facing modern cities, such as urban sprawl, lack of green space, and the impact of technology on our work-life balance.

The guests of the debate were:

• Ervin Taci, Co-founder Ma Studio, Albania
• Ideal Vejsa, Co-founder Maden Group Studio, Kosovo
• Florian Nepravishta, Faculty Of Architecture And Urbanism, Upt
• Adhurim Qehajaj, Founder Adhurim Qehajaj Ark
• Klodiana Musta, Branch And Sales Manager Of Lindner Albania

 

The debate was moderated by Ani Tola, Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Polytechnic University of Tirana.

 

 

Plenary Session #2

The second session was moderated by  Denada Veizaj, Associate Professor Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Polytechnic University of Tirana

 

Great Speaker Presentations

JURGEN MEMISHA, Project director XPlan, Albania | “Spaces that inspire“

Case Studies: Private villa; CFO Pharma; Square 21; Park Gate

Jurgen Memisha’s presentation focused on how design elements such as lighting, spatial planning, materials, and color can be used to create a specific mood and atmosphere in a space. Memisha shared case studies of their work, including a private villa, CFO Pharma, Square 21, and Park Gate. Throughout the presentation, he emphasized the importance of creating clean, minimalist designs with abundant natural light for a serene environment. He also highlighted the importance of incorporating state-of-the-art amenities and innovative technology into the design process.

 

 

ARBËR SHALA, Founder Arbër Shala Architects, Kosovo | “How we shape Space! From Inspiration and Influence to final shape and materials“

Case Studies: Linda Premium Residnence, The Teraces; Lakeside Hotel SPA & Conference

Arbër Shala focused on the methods used by the office to integrate their designs into the surrounding context of the area, the terrain, the city’s identity, emphasizing  the importance of selecting appropriate materials and shapes that complement the local environment.  Arbër Shala showcased  Linda Premium Residence, The Terraces, and Lakeside Hotel SPA & Conference as case studies, demonstrating the importance of considering the context of each project to create a design that blends seamlessly with its surroundings.

 

 

BERNARD STORCH, Partner PLP/Architecture, UK | “Urban Density for Innovation”

Case Studies: 22 Bishopsgate Tower, London; Tower 10 @ World Trade Center, Amsterdam

Throughout his presentation, Bernard Storch emphasized the significance of rethinking conventional urban planning methods in order to create more sustainable and innovative urban environments. He presented two case studies, the 22 Bishopsgate Tower in London and the Tower 10 @ World Trade Center in Amsterdam, to illustrate the need to balance the economic, social, and environmental aspects of urban development in order to produce genuinely desirable and functional spaces.

 

 

ILIAS PAPAGEORGIOU, Principal PILA, Greece

Case Studies: Piraeus Tower; Site Verrier in Meisenthal; MKNO

Ilias Papageorgiou presented the exciting project of Piraeus Tower, a previously abandoned tower in Greece for the past 45 years. He discussed the technical challenges of installing a new facade on the old structure and the innovative outcome of prefabricated aluminum unitized facade. The project involved the careful dismantling of the previous facade and its complete recycling. Additionally, he presented the transformation of Site Verrier, an old glass factory in France near the German border, into a dynamic cultural center. The project featured an undulating cast in situ supple concrete slab that connects a variety of buildings built during different eras, providing a new and coherent identity to the new center. These projects showcased PILA’s approach in creating spatial experiences that produce strong connections between people and their environment.

 

 

ANDREA D’ANTRASSI, Associate Partner MAD architects, China

Case Studies: FENIX Museum of Migration, Rotterdam, Netherlands; UNIC, Paris, France; 71 Via Boncompagni, Rome, Italy

Andrea D’Antrassi gave a presentation that focused on the renovation and improvement of the urban context through innovative materials, sustainability, and high technological approaches on construction. During the presentation, he showcased some of the most iconic projects of MAD Architects, including the FENIX Museum of Migration in Rotterdam, the UNIC in Paris, and the 71 Via Boncompagni in Rome.

Andrea D’Antrassi explained how all of these projects became landmarks for the renovation and improvement of the urban context in which they were located. He also described the conception method used by MAD Architects, from the first sketches to completion, and how they approach each project with the goal of creating unique architectures. The presentation emphasized the use of innovative materials, sustainability, and the human and nature relationship in MAD’s architectural designs.

 

 

Technical presentation in the second session

Standing ovations for our partners and supporters who had innovative technical presentations, arousing the interest and curiosity of the public.

URBAN JEREB, Object Sales M SORA  | “Innovative Fitting Solution for Glass systems“

 

 

BRUNILDA HAXHIU, Chief Administrative Officer R&M Group Albania | “R&M Group Albania: Total Solution Technologies for Sustainable Buildings and Cities“

R&M Group’s participation in SHARE Albania 2023 was an excellent opportunity to present our total solution services in the electrical, lighting and civil security fields to architects from Albania and abroad. We understand the important role the architect plays in connecting the client with various building technology providers, and in our work we strive to offer scalable, flexible and reliable solutions, as well project management capabilities that are the basis of a trusting partnership. During SHARE, we had the opportunity to listen to many interesting presentation and liaise with other participants with a common interest on trends in contemporary architecture, quality standards and requirements that will help us extend our reach. BRUNILDA HAXHIU, Chief Administrative Officer R&M Group Albania

Plenary Session #3

The third session was moderated by Nesila Hajdini, General Secretary Albanian Architects Association.

 

Great Speaker Presentations

KOSTANDIN JANO, Co-founder UDV ARCHITECTS Albania | “Student Housing of UBT, Kukes International Airport”

Case Studies: Student Housing of UBT; Kukes International Airport

Kostandin Jano presented  the innovative architectural solutions and technology utilized in the Student Housing of UBT and Kukes International Airport projects.

During the presentation, he highlighted the importance of valuing and improving student accommodation facilities to directly enhance the lifestyle of students in the capital. He also discussed the architectural solutions for a low-cost airport, a typology designed for the first time in Albania, which was achieved in the Kukes International Airport project.

 

 

DEAN LAH, Founder Enota, Slovenia  |  “Natural sistems”

Case Studies: Hotel Maestoso; Petrol Corporate Building; Termalija Family Wellness

During his presentation, Dean Lah emphasized the constant changes and new complex situations in the world around us that drive us to think about new architectural and urban solutions. He explained how Enota’s team of architects focuses on research-driven design of the environment where the study of contemporary social organizations is interwoven with the use of new technologies to produce innovative and effective solutions. Lah showcased several case studies, including the Hotel Maestoso, Petrol Corporate Building, and Termalija Family Wellness, and discussed how Enota’s solutions are strongly influenced by research, reinterpretation, and development of social, organizational, and design algorithms that derive from nature.  Lah showed how Enota’s solutions integrate natural systems into their designs, creating a strong connection between the built environment and nature promoting sustainability and the preservation of the natural world.

 

 

Special Guest Presentation

EMRE AROLAT, Founder & Design Partner  Emre Arolat, Turkey  |  “Scent Of Trace”

Case Studies: The Museum Hotel Antakya, Sancaklar Mosque

Emre Arolat gave a fascinating presentation focusing on on how architecture can exceed its boundaries by envisioning the interaction between the work of architecture and the community, the unique interpretation of the context, and the relation to its physical surroundings through case studies. The presentation showcased two projects, The Museum Hotel Antakya and Sancaklar Mosque. These two case studies illustrated how architecture can create a strong connection between the built environment and the community, while simultaneously blending with the natural and cultural context of the location.

 

 

 

SHARE Architects Network – Connecting architects and contractors in Central and South Eastern Europe

SHARE Architects Forums have become, over the past 25 years, an essential networking platform for architects and contractors in Central and South Eastern Europe. SHARE creates an effective platform for knowledge and understanding of the diversity of the architectural phenomenon of the contemporary architecture. Currently, SHARE Architects events take place in 16 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and the SHARE Architects community counts more than 50,000 members from all over the world.

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