Albania 2030 MANIFESTO

Read more on this project: Albania 2030 Manifesto

Individual Project Role: Urban and Spatial Planner

Own Research / MSc Thesis followed by work experience (2014 , Tirana, Albania)

The Context

For a very long time, one of the biggest challenges for Albania has been the consideration of territorial planning as a management tool for controlling and facilitating development, in order to achieve territorial, social and economic cohesion. The transition from a centrally planned economy, where everything was controlled by the government, towards decentralization and market economy caused many consequences, among which uncontrolled and fragmented urban development, loss of agricultural land due to urbanization, sprawling and informality, and massive abandonment of the eastern periphery of the country. Nevertheless, starting from 2006 the efforts for strengthening the role of territorial planning in Albania have been intensified due to development needs, but also due to the requirements for the EU integration. One of the most important steps has been the reformation of the planning system and the transition from regulatory planning to a more pro-active planning process for the territorial development.

PRINCIPLES for a tailor-made spatial planning methodology

Regions and Regional Development

Polycentrism and Growth Poles

Development Corridosrs and Free Economic Areas

Natural Potentials and Green Corridors

About The Project

Inspired by these dynamics, and given that spatial planning at a national scale had never been practiced before, this research project developed a methodology for spatial planning, specifically tailored to the Albanian planning context.

The methodology is based on a set of principles, including regionalism and regional development, polycentrism and growth poles, development corridors and free economic areas, as well as the natural potentials and green corridors. “Albania 2030” therefore, is a national spatial development strategy, which puts in practice this methodology.

Following Updates

A year after, in 2015 the Albanian planning authorities adopted this methodology in what has been coined as “Shqipëria 2030”, the official National Spatial Plan for Albania. Following this document, three other sectorial planning documents were developed, aimed at the Albanian Coast, the Economic Corridor between Durrës and Tirana, and the Touristic Alpes Region of Northern Albania. In 2016 a Territorial Reform took place, re-organizing the Albanian territory from 373 local development units (of urban, or rural character), in 61 local development units (of mixed urban and rural characters).

Corridorviii

Corridorviii

Polycentrism And Growth Poles

Based on the proximity within functional economic areas, there can be seen 6 main polarities, which go around: Shkodra, Kukës, Tirana, Korça, Vlora and Gjirokastra.

Referring to polycentric analysis and to the outline of the 6 main growth poles, with the exception of Tirana, which is developed on an annular system, the 5 other centers are developed on a radial system, connecting to the main core city.

When these analysis’ are confronted with the cross-border areas, 8 additonal polycentric cross-border regions are identified, from which 5 of annular spatial morphology: Shkodra lake region, Gjakova region, Ohrid lake region, the Adriatic region and the Ionian Region; and 3 of linear spatial morphology: Vermosh-PlavaGucinje, Peshkopi-Dibra and Leskovik- Konitsa.

Corridorviii

Development Corridors and Free Economic Areas (above on the left)

Albania 2030 Spatial Development Vision (below on the left)

Pan-European Corridors - south east Europe (above on the right) European Strategy, Corridor X (below on the right)

Conceptual Reading of Strategic Radial Roads (below on the right)