SHARE Tirana 2020 | Opera Omnia Distinction for Arch. Petraq Kolevica

SHARE Tirana 2020 has left us plenty of unforgettable moments – among them, the presentation on the life’s work of Arch. Petraq Kolevica held by his daughter, Stela Kolevica. We were honored to announce that the SHARE Opera Omnia Distinction went to Arch. Petraq Kolevica, who played an important role in establishing the modern architecture in Albania, recognized by his appointment as the first Chairperson of the Albanian Association of Architects. The event also introduced a speech held by Arch. Maks Velo, last year’s laureate of the Opera Omnia distinction at SHARE Tirana.

About the architect

Petraq Kolevica was born in Korça on January 11, 1934. After completing the elementary school and gymnasium in Korça he continues his studies in civil engineering at the Polytechnic University of Tirana. Kolevica has played an important role in establishing the modern architecture in Albania, recognized by his appointment as the first Chairperson of the Albanian Association of Architects. In 1957, after graduating from the University, he started working at the Institute of Construction and Design in Tirana, where he designed the apartment building near the former “Partizani” cinema.

Impactful projects of Arch. Petraq Kolevica

Some of Kolevica’s projects that have left traces in the modern Albanian architecture and urban planning of the capital and other cities are Residential Building behind the National Bank of Albania in Tirana, the Office and Residential Building near the Ministry of Justice, Residential Building near the former ‘Bllok’ in Tirana, Residential Building in the so-known Embassy Road, ’Skenderbej Street’; 7 floors residential Building in Korca (the first in the country at that time),  ‘Morava’ school in Korca, etc. 

The Korca Library is known for its modern style that has stood the test of time. Kolevica is co-author of the National Museum in Tirana and the former ‘Albania Today’, the biggest exhibition center in the country. During his career, he was regularly confronted with obstacles from the totalitarian system, until he was sent to the ‘Valias’ mine as a construction technician.

His life as an engineer and architect is summarized in his book ‘Architecture and Dictatorship’. Kolevica has been interested in poetry and literature since his early youth. He is known as a translator of many world-famous poems, mainly from Russian and German. The poems created by him reflect his artistic spirit and the life under communism.

Awards: 

1. Labour Order II, 1983
2. Award of the Republic of Albania III, 1984
3. ‘Great Master’ award by the President of Albania
4. ‘Citizen of Honour’ of the city of Korca
5. The Crown of Poetry, 2004
6. ‘Great Master of Architecture’ by SHASH – 2019