PRACTICAL CONSERVATION GUIDELINES FOR TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS IN HIMARA COASTAL REGION

PRACTICAL CONSERVATION GUIDELINES FOR TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS IN HIMARA COASTAL VILLAGES

PRACTICAL CONSERVATION GUIDELINES FOR TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS IN HIMARA COASTAL VILLAGES

content 0. Foreword 1. Introduction

9 10 11

2. Village Features

17 18 20 23

3. The House

31 37 43 55 63 73 81 87 95

1.1 Purpose of the Guidelines 1.2 Recent and Current Revitalization Programmes

2.1 Historical Development 2.2 Settlement Structure and the Landscape 2.3 Public Spaces: Streets, Alleys, Squares

3.1 Courtyards 3.2 Faรงades 3.3 Walls 3.4 Doors & Gates 3.5 Windows 3.6 Balconies & Verandas 3.7 Roofs 3.8 Interiors Glossary Bibliography Acknowledgements Imprint

Attached Booklet

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100 102 105 107

4. Appendices

Appendix A: Laws and Regulations Appendix B: Terminology Appendix C: Protected Centres Appendix D: How to get Permission Appendix E: Important Contacts

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Foreword Albania is a country rich in natural and cultural heritage. The 400 km long coastline, the different mountain ranges, natural rivers and cultivated lands are matched with an abundance of cultural heritage, some dating back to Illyrian times. The southern coastal region of Albania is no exception.

Mountains, the Mediterranean Sea, a rich cultural landscape, ancient sites and old traditional villages are characteristics of this area and a huge asset for the future.

Hans-Jürgen Cassens GIZ Albania Country Director

The coastal villages, such as those in the municipality of Himarë are unique in the way how merge into the landscape of the surrounding countryside.

Evolving over hundreds of years to suit the needs of their inhabitants, they have become valuable ensembles of characteristic elements. The houses, generally built from local stones, have distinctive forms, and, wherever the terrain allows, their main rooms are assured of a view to the sea. The red pitched roofs float amidst the natural landscape of the surrounding forests and the cultivated greenery of the courtyards and gardens of the houses.

The village square, traditionally with a plane tree and/or drinking fountain at its centre, is the core of each village - physically and socially present as a community gathering point. These assets need to be well maintained, preserved, and from time to time, they need to be revitalized.

The Himara Villages Rehabilitation Guidebook is intended to explain the context and character of these villages, and to provide advice and guidance to those who are involved with the development, renovation or renewal of village structures. It is addressed not only to the inhabitants, owners or tenants of buildings, but also to administrations, institutions, building companies and craftspeople. Historical aspects are pointed out, existing problems are described, and practical recommendations are made on how to carry out repairs and restorations, or how to add new elements in context-sensitive ways. We hope that this guidebook will serve as a reference and guidance to house and village rehabilitation.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development is cooperating with the Albanian Government at national, regional and local levels to foster sustainable economic growth. In the context of the “Integrated Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region” programme (ISDSCR), this entails the development of sustainable tourism and support for local produce, as well as the development of models for the conservation and revitalization of traditional rural settlements.

Finally, I would like to all those who were involved in the production of this guidebook.

foreword

5

Foreword On behalf of the Ministry of Culture and the Institute of Cultural Monuments, I have the pleasure of contributing to the foreword of this publication.

These Guidelines for the rehabilitation of fourteen villages in the southern coastal region of Albania represent the work of international and local experts working within the framework of the GIZ-Albania co-operation project, the “Integrated Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region” (ISDSCR). I can truly say that since the beginning of its first phase, the project has been a success in encouraging cooperation between a wide range of institutions, and in establishing an integrated, interdisciplinary approach with a common goal, which is to support the local population of the Southern Coastal Region in benefiting from the sustainable economic development on the rural, cultural, and natural tourism can generate. The Southern Coastal Region of Albania is extremely rich in cultural heritage, and the preservation of this legacy, as well as the promotion of the traditional techniques of construction, is one of the main focus areas of the Institute of Cultural Monuments. As the director of this institute, I strongly support the production and dissemination of this Guidebook, trusting that it will be an effective instrument for raising the awareness of these villages’ inhabitants on the value of their cultural heritage and the traditional methods of building in this region.

In the past two years (2015-2017), the Ministry of Culture and the Institute of Cultural Monuments have shown their determined commitment to the identification, protection and rehabilitation of the cultural heritage in the villages that are under consideration by the ISDSCR programme. The designations as historical centres of Dhërmi, Vuno, Himarë old town, and Qeparo in Himara are good examples and proof of the effectiveness of the initiative , and an encouragement for the rehabilitation of the cultural heritage throughout the region.

I would like to thank all the experts who were involved in the drafting of this Guidebook, and express my appreciation to the GIZ for the initiative and providing expertise and financial support. I hope that in the future, we will embark on further collaborations in promoting Albania’s cultural heritage.

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foreword

Arta Dollani

Director of Institute of Cultural Monuments (ICM) in the Ministry of Culture

Foreword Dear Himara residents!

For centuries, we have together inherited the exceptional value of our unique culture in which a special place is held for traditional dwellings. Since time immemorial, the inhabitants of Himara (himarjot) have developed an inseparable bond between family, community, and home. Evolving over hundreds of years, the typical houses of the coastal region have always not only been an irresistible attraction to foreign citizens, but also a reference point and target of return for fellow residents who had left for various reasons.

Himara has gone through many difficult times that have damaged our legacy of traditional construction in irreversible ways. It was damaged partly by the lack of state care, and partly by a lack of knowledge and the irreversible actions of the institutions.

Gjergji Goro

Mayor of Himara Municipality (MoH)

However things change, and this time it is for the better. Within the framework of urban improvement interventions, especially those concerned with cultural heritage, the focus has turned to the coastal villages of our Himara. The new territorial reform considers them culturally unified, the way history also recognizes them. Many building projects are under way.

At a fast pace and in a race with time, good work is being done to increase inhabitants’ quality of life, to diversify services for tourists, and to promote our Riviera to the world.

This effort should not be one-sided but a communal effort for a common good. We all need to contribute to the restoration and revitalization of our dwellings, traditional pathways, courtyards and all the elements that, like pieces of a mosaic, fit together to form our identity. This Guidebook was created specifically to aid you in your efforts to rehabilitate and maintain our villages and our houses. It is exactly these houses we ask you to preserve and leave as a legacy to our descendants as they would wish.

Special thanks go to GIZ Albania, working on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ); to the Albanian Ministry of Culture; the Institute of Cultural Monuments; to the heritage experts; and to the residents of Himara villages, who during a series of workshops and meetings gave their suggestions and feedback for a Guidebook that is rich in information and of value for today and tomorrow!

foreword

7

a.

1. Introduction

b. a. Map of Himara Southern Coastal Region showing the fourteen villages. b. Team member discussing with a village resident during one of the site visits in the area. c. One of the workshops attended by the fourteen village heads, municipality representatives, members of construction companies working in the area, and other professionals. d. The first workshop held in Tirana attended by architecture and restoration professionals, representatives of cultural heritage institutions, etc.

c.

This Guidebook is developed in the framework of the Integrated and Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region Programme, implemented by GIZ Albania on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development [BMZ].

The focus area of this guidebook are fourteen villages in the coastal region of Himara Municipality, namely: Palasë, Dhërmi, Ilias, Vuno, Himarë Fshat, Pilur, Kudhës, Qeparo Fshat, Borsh, Piqeras, Sasaj, Lukovë, Shën Vasil and Nivica.

The team working on these guidelines was comprised of international and local experts.

The development of these guidelines focused on the inclusion of different actors: local residents, cultural heritage experts, the Municipality, Cultural Heritage Institutions and International Organizations dealing with Cultural Heritage in Albania. The team conducted site surveys to analyse the existing situation of the historical villages, as well as interviews, questionnaires and discussions with local residents and other actors in the field, in each of the fourteen villages. Additionally, research on previous studies focusing on traditional buildings in these areas has been done in the archives and libraries of institutions dealing with cultural heritage.

During the editing process, there was a continuous collaboration between the team and relevant institutions. The process of developing the guidelines also included a series of forums and consultation processes both with the local residents and experts of cultural heritage.

A separate booklet, supplementary to the guidebook, provides information on regulations and laws applicable in these areas as well as on procedures for applying for building work permission; it also contains a list of important contacts.

d.

INTRODUCTION

9

1.1 Purpose of the Guidelines The villages in the South of Albania are unique in their position in the surrounding countryside. They have evolved over hundreds of years to suit the needs and circumstances of the people who have lived there through the ages. One is therefore naturally drawn to consider those elements that make these villages different and those aspects that have made them special.

The purpose of this Guidebook is to: • explain the context and character of these villages; • provide advice and guidance to all who are involved with the development, renovation or renewal of village structures, no matter how large or small; • describe the regulations to be considered when renovating historical buildings; • be a guide to the careful restoration and maintenance of buildings and building parts; • raise awareness of the national and international importance of these places, their value as national assets and their distinctive local character.

It is addressed not only to the inhabitants, owners or tenants of buildings, but also to administrations, institutions, building companies and craftspeople.

It identifies those elements of the villages and their buildings that shape the local character in order to ensure that any new works are appropriate to that character.

a.

Historical aspects are pointed out, existing problems are described, and practical recommendations are made on how to carry out repairs, restorations or new-builds in context-sensitive ways.

This Guidebook is based on existing Albanian laws and regulatory decisions: Law Nr. 9048 (07.04.2003) on Cultural Heritage, and Decisions of the Council of Ministers for the designation as historic centres of Old Himara (Nr. 28, 20.01.2016), Dhërmi (Nr. 29, 20.01.2016), Vuno (Nr. 30, 20.01.2016), Qeparo (Nr. 636, 07.09.2016), and approval administration regulation for the historical centres and the surrounding buffer zones.

a. View of the village of Dhërmi as seen from one of its many narrow alleys in the neighbourhood of Gjilekë. b. View of Himara coastal region from the Llogara National park with the villages of Palasa and Dhërmi in the foreground.

b.

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INTRODUCTION

1.2 Recent and Current Revitalization Programmes

c.

c. Renovation work in Dhërmi: adding a balcony on the front façade, and installing wooden windows and doors.

Vernacular architecture occupies a very important position in Albania’s cultural heritage. Various attempts have been made to protect and preserve this cultural heritage. Since the 1970s, state institutions have enacted conservation-specific laws and have designated as protected “Cultural Monuments” all objects considered to be of historical and architectural value. The background to this is found in the former Communist regime’s political ideology that was characterized by strong nationalist and atheist components, which although leading to the destruction or re-purposing of religious buildings and symbols, allowed for the survival of traditional housing types. This has enabled scholars to identify and study Albania’s traditional house typologies.

In recent years, many owners of traditional buildings have started to renovate their properties and also to adapt them for new uses. Two programmes have been focusing on the revitalization of privately owned traditional buildings: a World Bank programme (2013-2016) implemented in cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Urban Development, promoted vernacular architectural traditions through small pilot projects for the rehabilitation of roofs and façades; 62 houses in the villages took part in the programme. Currently, the Albanian Ministry of Culture is receiving loans from the Council of Europe Development Bank to conduct design services for the rehabilitation of Dhërmi and Vuno villages in the Himara Municipality.

The project is being implemented by the Albanian Development Fund (ADF) and includes work on roads, sidewalks, squares, façades of traditional houses, public lighting, etc.

d. A gate in Ilias. The house and the gate were renovated under the “Roofs and Façades” programme of the World Bank. e. The roof of a house in Dhërmi being reconstructed under the current ADF programme for Vuno and Dhërmi.

d.

e.

INTRODUCTION

11

12

INTRODUCTION

The Fourteen Villages

Map of the village of Palasa and a picture taken from the sothern hill showing the village structure overlloking the sea.

Map of the village of Dhërmi and a view of the village from the east. The picture hughlights the morphology of Dhërmi and its relationship with the sea.

Map of the village of Ilias. Picture of the village taken from the national road showing its extension in the landscape.

Map of the village of Vuno and a picture of the village taken from the southern hill, showing how the National Road cuts through Vuno.

Palasë

Dhërmi

Ilias

Vuno

Note: the maps of the villages are schematic. They are intended to indicate the urban form / physical structure and extension of the old settlement in each and every villages.

INTRODUCTION

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The Fourteen Villages

14

Himarë Fshat

Picture of the village of Himarë Fshat highlighting the village’s defensive character, located on top of the hill which overlooks the sea and the surrounding mountains. Map of Himarë Fshat.

Pilur

The scattered character of the village of Pilur is shown in this picture taken from one of the higher hills in the area and a map of Pilur.

Kudhës

Picture of Kudhës as seen from the valley located in parallel to the village, where Kudhës appears stretched on the ridge of the mountain. A map of the village.

Qeparo Fshat

Picture of Qeparo Fshat on the hill, as seen from the winding road that takes you to the village, and a map of the Qeparo Fshat.

Borsh

Picture of the old village of Borsh, where in view is a house that used to serve as an educational institution until the 20th Century, and a map of the whole village.

INTRODUCTION

A map of the village of Piqeras elongating through the ridge of the mountain, and a picture of the village as it looks from the mountain on the east.

Piqeras

Map of the village of Sasaj, and a view of the village showing its unique character with houses scattered in the hilly terrain.

Sasaj

Map of Lukova and a picture of the village showing its location on the ridge, overlooking and elongating to the coast.

Lukovë

Map of the village of Shën Vasil, and a view of the village from the higher hills showing the village structure and composition. During socialism, the village developed rapidly, and new housing blocks were built.

Shën Vasil

Map of Nivica and a picture of the village from the south. Nivica overlooks to the terraced hilly landscape and the National road.

Nivicë

INTRODUCTION

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a.

2. Village Features Ionian Coastal settlements are among the most important ethnographic and architectural assets of the southern and south-western regions of Albania. These settlements are located at altitudes of 300-600 metres, and usually have picturesque views towards the Ionian Sea. The villages in this region lie between Llogara National Park in the north and the city of Saranda in the south. They have a distinctive Mediterranean character, due to their traditional vernacular architecture, their compact built structures, the materials they are built from (stone, wood, and tiles), their proximity to the sea and their relationship with the surrounding landscape. The terrain of this region generally consists of high plateaus and valleys, which combined with the climatic conditions, favour animal husbandry rather than crop growing. Typical landscape features of the villages in the region are the olive groves and citrus tree terraces that surround the residential parts of the villages which were developed during socialism. They are inherent components of the village-scape and together with the village structure create the villages’ cultural landscape. b.

a. View of Kudhës village and surrounding landscape. b. Picture of an alleyway in Vuno, showing physical connections between houses via paths on elevated arched “bridges”. c. Sketch of Vuno Village from the southeast. Courtesy of Elton Hala, who made this drawing during the “Sketching Cultural Heritage Workshop” of the GIZ ISDSCR programme.

c.

village features

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2.1 Historical Development of Village Settlements The Himara area, or Bregu as it is sometimes known, is mentioned by the 5th century B.C.E. historians Herodotus and Thucydides, and this and other parts of the region (including Borsh, Qeparo, Lukova, Çorraj, etc.) are mentioned in Byzantine era documents. Places such as Sopoti Castle and Vuno village are thought to have been inhabited since even older times, and Bronze Age traces of settlements have been found in Lukova, Ilias and Qeparo, which would have been parts of the ancient Chaonian civilization dating back to the 6th century B.C.E. According to 15th century records, many settlements were established in this area, although some of those recorded disappeared over time. An official register of 1431-1432 mentions the villages of Dukat, Palasë, Sopot, Koki, Lakota and Dhërmi. The register says the population of Dhërmi at the time was 1,850, and that of Himara was 1,430. However, these settlements had been inhabited since much earlier times.

The area where these villages are located had important economic connections with others in the region mainly through the sale of fruits produced locally by small family enterprises. The produce was usually transported overland, and thus there was little need of the sea ports, although there was one in Himara dating back to the eighteenth century, and a small port situated in Vuno Bay. A typical characteristic of many villages in this region is their location on high ground, usually with a good view towards the sea. There are different reasons for elevated locations. Firstly, there is the ready access to clean fresh water from higher altitude springs; secondly, there is the availability of economically usable and accessible land; and thirdly, higher elevations command the landscape and provide natural defensive positions.

Other considerations include the disadvantages of low-lying land close to the sea, which is prone to wetness, limiting the arable possibilities. For instance, the village of Pilur was initially located closer to the coastline at a lower

a.

a. View of Himara Bay in1940, when the coastal land was still used for agriculture and houses and other buildings were located at higher elevations (photo by Giuseppe Massani). b. Coloured drawing of Palasë (Palása/Palazza) on the southern coast of Albania, by Edward Lear, 1848.

b.

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village features

c.

c. Photo of Dhërmi in 1940 showing that the village structure was relatively similar to today’s.

What was and is a “National Road” is paved with gravel, and what appears to be an Orthodox priest can be seen in the foreground (photo by Giuseppe Massani). d. View of the village of Dhërmi in the back with the members of Himara Polyphonic group seen in the foreground. The picture is taken in the 1990’s during the making / filming of the documentary “Në lundrën e këngës” (photo by Lefter Çipa).

elevation than the present-day settlement, as its ruins indicate. Although the new location might be exposed to some harsher weather, especially in the winter, the gradual shift to a higher elevation was undoubtedly prompted by the advantages described above.

The most significant development in recent times was the abolition of private property rights during the socialist period of 1946-1991, meaning nobody legally owned anything. The only evidence of earlier private ownerships were titles issued before the Second World War. In the course of the 45 years of socialist rule, the families of those holding titles grew. As a result, after the fall of the socialist system and the renewed legality of titles, a property could suddenly be claimed by sometimes up to 20 owners who were members or heirs of title holding families.

In addition, there are still many properties without legal titles, resulting in an even more chaotic situation. The current lack of clarity over property rights and the lack of accessible legal mechanisms for resolving ownership disputes, accounts for many if not most of the buildings in the villages being unoccupied, abandoned and deteriorating.

Another issue the villages face is that due to migration, houses are only temporarily inhabited or left unoccupied, which can lead to total abandonment and deterioration resulting over time in ruins. And as for people who live fulltime in the villages, most have either not done appropriate, adequate or any maintenance work on their houses.

The rapid development of sea-related tourism and general economic pressures have also impacted the villages. Village residents have either moved to new settlements closer to the coast, abandoning their houses, as in Qeparo, Old Himara and elsewhere, or, with money earned from working abroad, they have reconstructed their village houses or transformed them completely with little regard for the original traditional character of buildings in the area.

d.

village features

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2.2 Settlement Structure and the Landscape The villages in this region are relatively small in size: 30 hectares in the case of Dhërmi, 14 hectares in the case of Vuno, but 6 hectares in the case of Qeparo and even less, only 5.5 hectares in the case of Ilias. The landscape has two main characteristics: densely built inhabited settlements with adjoining agricultural fields, and natural forests with water-courses.

In general, most of the villages in the region are of the nucleated type in that they consist of centrally clustered buildings. But some others are linear and stretch along main transportation or arterial roads.

In both cases, the buildings are usually close to each other and the alleyways and streets between them usually follow the topography of the terrain. The density of the villages’ built structures, is sometimes such that streets or alleyways are often cul-de-sac or can even run through vaulted passages beneath buildings.

Settlements in this landscape developed in three different ways: on mountain ridges, on the sides of the mountains, and on hill tops. The built structure of the villages can vary according to the terrain. Qeparo, for example, is located on a hillside and has a compact built structure, whereas Pilur, which is on a plateau, is more spread out. Some villages developed in terraces that follow the contours of the mountain terrain, as in the case of Vuno and Dhërmi; others stretch along the ridge of a hill, as in the cases of Kudhës, Lukova and Piqeras.

Due to the important values that the villages in Himara region possess, four of them (Old Himara, Dhërmi, Vuno, and Qeparo) were designated as historic centres in 2016. Besides the protected historical areas, their buffers zones include the surrounding cultural landscape, which increase the values of the villages and the region itself.

With regard to the inhabitants of villages in the coastal area, they are

b.

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village features

a.

a. Photo of the Church of the Monastery of Saint Panaisë in Dhërmi, which is located on the highest part of the hill overlooking the village and the sea. b. View of a vaulted passageway in Himara that stretches beneath the entire length of a house. c. Photo of Dhërmi showing the dense village structure with narrow streets and closely built houses overlooking the sea. A prominent religious building is located in the middle of the village.

c.

usually relatives or members of extended families. These families built religious building, such as monasteries or churches in prominent locations, sometimes outside or on the periphery of the village, or, especially in the case of churches, in central parts of the villages.

Generally, the climate in the Himara region is typical Mediterranean, with dry and hot summers and warm and rainy winters. Pilur and Kudhës are located at a distance from the coast and high above sea level, so summer in those villages is fresher and winter is colder than in the rest of the region.

Heavy rains feed the streams and rivers during the rainy season, which provides villages in the region with good water supplies and water storage possibilities.

d.

The Mediterranean climate favours the cultivation of olive and citrus trees, which are grown on terraces cut into the rough terrain surrounding the buildings of the villages. These cultivated areas are considered to be intrinsic parts of the whole village structure. Terraced cultivated land usually extends below the level of the villages’ residential parts. Nearby forested hills or mountains serve as a reserve for grazing and timber. Rough terrain that has not been worked into terraces has poor crop cultivation possibilities, but is rich in pasture, which encourages the development of animal husbandry.

The high plateaus are usually abundant in summer pastures, and the low lying plains in the northern and southern parts of the region provide good pasture in the winter: the region thus provides year-round grazing for cattle.

d. Bird’s eye view of the village of Kudhës located on a mountain ridge. e. Bird’s eye view of the village of Qeparo located on a hilltop. f. Bird’s eye view of the village of Vuno on a mountain side.

e.

f.

village features

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2.2 Settlement Structure and the Landscape

a. Map of Kudhës, a village positioned on a mountain ridge in the southwest of Himara, 6km from the Ionian Sea, and 335 metres above sea level. The position of the settlement provides the inhabitants with opportunities for agriculture, livestock breeding, and traditional products. b. Map of Qeparo Fshat, a village on a hilltop.

Qeparo is one of the largest historical towns in the Himara region. It rises to 300 metres above sea level and has a castle-like setting. Its proximity to the sea and the local terrain offer a variety of economic potentials.

a.

Kudhës Map

b.

Qeparo Fshat Map

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village features

c. Map of Vuno, a steeply sloping village located on the concave side of a mountain traversed by a National Road. The village ascends to approximately 300 metres above sea level, and its name “Vuno” derives from the Greek word “vouno”, meaning “mountain”. The village’s built structure is very compact, which produces distinctive house and street typologies.

c.

Vuno Map

2.3 Public Spaces Village Centre

d.

d. The Nivica village square is paved with limestone and looks out from under the shadow of the plane tree at its centre to the terraced hills beyond. e. Village square of Kudhës, which has been revitalized in recent years. The building in the middle of the picture was built in 1966 and was known as a Mapo (magazinë popullore or warehouse). It served as a general store and goods depot, but today it is used as a bar.

Among the most important features of settlements in the coastal area are village squares.

Traditionally, squares have an organic shape with a centuries-old plane tree in the centre, a typical element which is still present in several villages. Village fountains, called krua or çezmë in Albanian are sometimes also located in village squares and are important elements of a village. Often, one or more sides of the village square are open to a view of the landscape and the sea beyond.

During socialism, buildings of particular importance were built within the village, such as schools, churches, or cultural centres, which often face onto or extend into public spaces that can be described as village squares.

Sometimes, the courtyards or outside spaces belonging to these buildings are surrounded only by railings, thus providing spatial openings in the densely built village structure. Other elements found in the public spaces of villages include historical memorials and socialist era monuments. Often, the only bar of the village, usually referred to as a bufe in Albanian, is located on the main village square.

Pavement Village squares are usually paved with cobblestones with lime mortar joints.

Most village squares are usually extensions of the main streets and the paving material generally matches that of the streets. The stone is usually found in stone quarries or open-pit mines (referred to as madëm by the locals) close to the villages, or on the beds or banks of rivers in their vicinity.

Traditional stone used for paving is grey, white, beige, or even reddish in colour, as in the village of Nivica. The paving stones are usually naturally broken stones found in the area, but sometimes they are treated to create smoother surfaces.

e.

village features

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2.3 Public Spaces Lighting There is no evidence of any tradition of public lighting in these villages. The first modest electric lamp was lit in the centre of Kudhës in February 1960: it was attached to a plain wooden post.

Nowadays, public spaces in villages are usually lit with simple lamps that hung from cables, but some villages have no public lighting at all.

Planting The main tree in a village square is usually an oriental plane of the genus platanus. They are very tall trees and can reach considerable heights. Some of the trees in the village centres are protected bio-monuments because of their historical values. Such trees were often the main gathering point in a village, where village elders would meet to discuss village concerns and other issues of the day.

The oldest plane tree in the area is thought to be the one in the centre of Palasa. It is over three centuries old and because of its biological, cultural, and historical value, it has been declared a national natural monument.

Drinking Fountains (Çezma) Old drinking fountains, called çezma are often to be found in public spaces in this area. They are supplied by local water sources, such as rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and ground waters. In some cases, drinking fountains are decorative architectural features, which are often called krua. Examples of such fountains can be found in Kudhës, Lukovë, Old Qeparo, and Ilias.

a.

a. The plane tree in Palasa, which is thought to be over 300 years old. b. The plane tree in the village square of Nivica.

The village residents sit and socialize in its shade. c. The public space in front of Saint Spiridon Church in Vuno during a public forum.

b.

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village features

c.

d.

d. A decorative drinking fountain typical of the area in the village of Kallarat, located in the back of Himara mountain at the end of Vjosa river valley. e. The drinking fountain under the plane tree in the centre of Ilias. f. A public space in Qeparo Fshat in front of the village school. The old plane tree offers shade to a

e.

place where people can meet and socialize.

f.

village features

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2.3 Public Spaces Streets and Alleyways

The layouts of streets and alleyways in villages in this area do not conform to any particular pattern, but there are usually two or three main streets in a village. These connect the centre or main public space to the village’s highest point overlooking the surrounding landscape and, if visible, the coast; and / or they connect to the lower levels, where the cultivated fields are. The main streets can be up to 5 metres wide, which nowadays offer motor vehicle access to and through the villages, as is the case in Palasë, Ilias, Nivicë, Lukovë, Dhërmi, etc. Streets and alleys are usually paved with cobblestones, with open storm water channels positioned either in the middle or on the sides. In recent times however, some of the cobblestone paving has been replaced with stamped concrete, as in Nivicë, Piqeras, and Dhërmi, or asphalt, as in Palasë. But the traditional use of cobblestones laid on sand and gravel remains the most appropriate method of paving, not only because it allows for structural movement, but also because it allows surface water to drain.

Secondary streets or alleyways have widths of 2 - 3.5 metres. They are called sokak in the local dialect and they are shaped by the walls between which they run. In the case of Old Himara and Vuno, because of the dense village structure and the sloping terrain, some alleyways, which can be up to two metres wide, turn into vaulted passages as they run under houses.

An important element of a street and a house, is the ledge called “sofat” in Albanian: it is a piece of urban furniture at the boundary between public and private spheres. The gateways to gardens and courtyards open directly on the street, and sometimes the larger stones at the lower parts of the gateways protrude to provide ledges (sofats) that serve as seats for residents to rest or to socialize with their neighbours.

Another distinctive feature of the winding streets is the rounding or bevelling of walls at the corners of streets to enable loaded pack animals to move through the village more easily.

b.

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village features

a.

a. Stamped concrete paving on a street in Nivica, built to allow vehicular access in the village.

Paving with concrete is however not encouraged because it does not allow surface water to drain into the earth. b. Sofats at a gateway to a house in Nivica. c. A vaulted alleyway beneath a house in Vuno.

c.

Plants Except for the tree on the main village square, there are usually no trees or plants in the villages’ streets or alleyways. Residents usually place a few small flowerpots at their entrance gates, and sometimes vines, foliage or tree branches overhang courtyard walls and extend pergola-like over the streets and alleyways. Lukova however, is an exception, and large Brugmansia flowering plants grow freely on and along the streets and alleyways.

Lighting Traditionally, villages did not have any street lighting. After the general electrification of the 1960’s, the streets were usually lit by lamps attached to the outside walls of private houses. Today, several villages are provided with publicly owned street lighting. It was added in Himara during the implementation of infrastructure units there are supported by thin metal lampposts 2-3 metres in height, and are designed in an old-fashioned “traditional” style that was never characteristic of the villages’ traditional aesthetics. In other villages, the streets are still lit by lamps attached to the walls or entrance gateways of private houses as they were since the 1960’s. d.

d. A bevelled wall corner on a street in Qeparo Fshat. e. A lamp hung from a private courtyard wall in Himara. Such lamps mimic old fashioned styles that have little to do with traditional village aesthetics. Simple modern lamps are preferable. f. A stepped alleyway in Himara. Plants overhanging courtyard walls provide shade to the street.

e.

Drainage and Sewage System The rainwater collection system in the streets and alleyways of the villages is typical of the region and of settlements positioned on hilly terrains. Slopes drain to open channels at one or both sides of the streets or alleyways: these connect with branch channels at crossroads and the rainwater is then directed to run-offs outside the village.

Traditionally, the villages did not have a collective sewage systems. Each house had an individual septic tanks this is still the solution in many cases.

The integration of individual septic tanks into a proper sewage system is now being undertaken in some villages , by, for example, the ADF as part of its rehabilitation work in Dhërmi and Vuno villages in the Himara Municipality.

f.

village features

27

2.3 Public Spaces Notes The challenges encountered in the maintenance or redesign of public spaces in the villages are numerous. There is the struggle to preserve the identity of the village, and to maintain its distinct qualities, for example in its characteristic village square. There is the need to adapt the village and its buildings to modern requirements and changes of function, and to adjust to the inevitable or even necessary loss of once important, but now redundant elements. Village streets are often too narrow for cars, which is a real challenge in terms of access, especially for emergency vehicles; the lack of adequate signposting and organized car parking exacerbates the problem.

The need for properly planned street lighting, and street furniture, such as benches, signage, garbage bins, etc., also presents a challenge.

Although neither the redesign nor the maintenance of public spaces are the direct responsibility of village residents, they should be aware of and concerned about the key issues. The inhabitants need to be involved in the decision-making processes in the planning, designing, or reconstruction of the public spaces of their villages in order to inculcate an appropriate sense of ownership and responsibility. This requires awareness raising and cooperation between all actors, so that all factors and interests are taken into account. The identification of the unique elements and details of each and every village are crucial.

Regarding material usage, local materials, such as limestone should be used for the reconstruction of streets and squares, as against stamped concrete or asphalt which seal the earth and prevent natural drainage, and negatively affect the traditional appearance of the village. New urban furniture, such as lampposts, benches, litter bins, etc., should be sensitive to the historical context without imitating non traditional street furniture. Public space is a common good. Its function, design, and upkeep is not the responsibility of the authorities alone, but that of the community as a whole.

a.

28

village features

a. An alleyway in Lukova with an open rainwater channel at the sides of the road. Depending on the terrain and the slope of the road, the channels can be on the left or right or sometimes on both sides of the road. b. A stepped alleyway in Lukova. When a rainwater channel passes in front of a door or gate, a small stone or concrete bridge connects the roadway with the house. c. A stepped road in the village of Vuno. Putting a water tank on the top of an entrance wall, as shown here, is not recommended. d. A courtyard gate in Ilias, with a lamp attached to the top of the gateway wall. e. An alleyway in Ilias passes through an arch of plants and flowers covering the passage. f. An alley in LukovĂŤ with street lamps fixed to a concrete post that is carrying electricity cables. g. A street in HimarĂŤ Fshat that passes by some ruins. Sometimes the main building of a house (as apart from its courtyard) shares a wall with the street, and in these cases, the ground floor has no openings to the street.

b.

e.

c.

f.

d.

g.

village features

29

a.

3. The House

b.

a. A traditional house in the village of Qeparo, with features typical of the second typology described in the text. Some renovations seem to have been done during socialist era and more recently. b. Different types of houses on the hilly terrain of the village of Dhërmi. c. An abandoned house of the first typology in Himarë Fshat. The entrance to the ground floor (katoi) is blocked with stones and external stone stairs lead to the first floor.

Houses in the villages of the southern Albanian coastal region are modest in scale. They are usually two storeys high with pitched roofs. The shapes of the houses are adapted to the terrain, which results in different organizations of courtyards and rooms. However, the sizes and shapes of the houses do not vary much from one another. The roofs also have similar shapes, thus creating the settlements’ harmonious appearance.

The dwellings in the villages of the coastal region consist of usually two storeys. There are two main typologies: Banesa me kat or gjysmëkat and Banesa e Bregut. The first type is called me kat when the ground floor and the first floor have the same surface area, and me gjysmë kat when the ground floor is smaller is surface than the first floor. This type consists of a ground floor that is lower in height than the first floor. The ground floor (katoi) is used for storage, while the upper storey serves as living accommodation.

Stairs might be positioned outside, on the main facade or on the inside.

Windows are generally bigger on the first floor. Since the ground floor area was not used as a living space, the windows of the ground floor (katoi) are often very small.

When a house of this typology is situated on a steeply sloping site and “leans” into the topography, the ground floor becomes a semi-basement that occupies less area than in the first floor, parts of which are then at ground level. This sub-type is called house with a semi-storey. When a house does not “lean” into the topography, and the ground floor occupies the same area as the first floor, it is called house with a storey (banesa me kat).

Houses that can be categorized as being of the second main typology in the region (Banesa e Bregut) are generally two storeys high. In these cases, both floors are of the same height and both floors are used as living spaces.

There are also houses with three floors, but they are less common. The first and second floors of these are both used as living spaces, while the ground floor is used as a cellar (or katoi).

c.

the house

31

3. The House The second typology is more advanced than the first one and was used in a later period (starting from the middle of the 19th Century, to the first quarter of the 20th century) and is often referred to as a “coastal dwelling”. Stairs are positioned inside and made of wood. In this typology, there are cases of houses with two fireplaces.

However, some houses represent different characteristics or slight alterations from the two main typologies mentioned above. This depends mainly on the terrain they are placed in. There are cases when, due to the terrain arrangement or in cases of houses of wealthy families, both typologies of the houses might have three floors. Here, as mentioned above, the ground floor is very low in height and used as a cellar (katoi), while the other floors are used as living spaces.

In some of the villages, there is also a tower-house typology. Tower houses are defensive structures and fall into two categories: those with two elements - a dwelling, typically two storeys high, and a tower, usually three storeys high; and those consisting of a single element - a tower, again usually three storeys high. In both cases, the tower has very small windows at all levels, and numerous slit openings (frëngji), reflecting the defensive nature of the building.

Technical solutions are found ad hoc, based on the availability of materials, as, for example, in the case of stone walls that incorporate the use of wooden rails, which is typical for the region, and which provides the buildings with anti-seismic characteristics (see 3.3 Walls, page 57).

In the construction of traditional Albanian dwellings, natural materials, such as lime, clay for tiling, and stone are used. Lime is extracted from limestone by burning it. This is a traditional non-commercial technique used across Albania, as is the production of clay tiling.

b.

32

the house

a.

a. A two-storey house with adjoining tower in Dhërmi. Windows in these types of tower houses are usually smaller than those in other houses. b. A house of the second main typology in Dhërmi directly on the street. Alterations appear to have been made, such as the installation of new plastic shutters, the closing of window openings, etc. c. A single storey house in Dhërmi with traditional white lime painted walls and clay roof tiling. The houses, like many others, is positioned to offer views to the sea.

c.

General Challenges Since the 1990s, the main issues that the houses face are transformations made to them, abandonment, especially because of migration, and the state of ruin that usually comes as a result of the former issue but also due to the lack of maintenance and preservation works: -Radical alterations are often made to existing structures by changing their shape, or making new additions. This results in the total transformation of the traditional proportions of existing structures.

- New buildings or extensions to existing buildings, e.g. for uses as guest houses, often exceed the height and size of typical village houses and structures, and thus disturb the harmonious aesthetic of the village.

- Modern features, for example, large glazing elements, concrete columns or flat roofs, do not reflect the character of the village.

- Buildings are often too small to accommodate actual or potential uses. d. d. A recently renovated house in Himara. Openings in the facade have been altered and enlarged, and plastic window frames are used. Stone tile cladding covers the original façade. e. A house of the second mail typology in Qeparo.

The roof has been renovated and retains its original traditional form, but the roof tiles are not of the original shape or colour. The original balcony seems to have been removed. f. Recently renovated houses of first and second typologies in Dhërmi. Interventions that have been carried out are: renovation of the roofs, façades, placement of new windows, doors, and shutters.

e.

General Recommendations - In four villages, recently designated as Historical Centres, the administration regulation states that the height of new structures or reconstructed ones located in the buffer zones, should not exceed the maximum height of existing houses.

- Newly constructed large internal spaces should not express themselves externally, neither in the streets nor from far off. If necessary, they can be lowered in the ground or extended into an inner courtyard. The outer proportions of façade elements (windows & doors) should not be changed (see 3.5 Windows, page 63; 3.6 Doors, page 73).

- Larger buildings can be achieved by grouping several smaller buildings together with internal connections.

f.

the house

33

Gate canopy Entrance gate

Pathway

Well

Chimney

Living room

Window

Wooden beam Open gable roof

Limestone wall

Arched window Hipped roof Wood batten Balcony

Chimney

Fireplace Minder

Stone wall

Surrounding stone wall

Inner courtyard

Wineyard Alleyway Entrance gate Sofat

Inner courtyard House entrance

Vaulted passage

a.

3.1 Courtyards Courtyards are generally positioned in front of the houses. However, when the house is positioned directly on the road, the courtyard is positioned at the back of the house. Due to the terraced structure of these villages, the rear of the house is often built into the ground, adapting to the terrain. In these cases, courtyards are situated in the front or the sides of the dwelling.

The courtyard used to have three main functions: for cooking (the konak or cooking place, in cases when the fireplace was situated in the courtyard), as a garden and as a terrace or veranda. Courtyards are considered to be the centre of life in the house. Originally, courtyards were used as spaces where agricultural products were processed (drying, cleaning etc.). This tradition still continues nowadays, but people also use courtyards as places to relax and socialize with their neighbours, as well as for planting trees and shrubs. Toilets were also situated in the courtyard area under modest stone structures (in very old cases adobe was used). Every house has a courtyard, however small, even when the walls of the house are directly on the street. b.

a. A courtyard in LukovĂŤ: the walls are painted traditionally in white lime, but the ground was paved over with concrete during the socialist times. b. An entrance way to the courtyard of a house in Nivica. Vines create a canopy and firewood is stored at the side. c. A terraced courtyard in PalasĂŤ with vegetables, fruits and other plants.

Surrounding Walls The surrounding walls of most courtyards are made from limestone in dry stack construction. When they are not dry stacked, they are built using lime mortar. They are topped by a layer of capstones, laid in horasani mortar (mortar made from powdered clay tiles mixed with slaked lime), which protects them from rain and other climatic factors. The walls are usually high enough to provide privacy to the residents. They follow the lines of the topography and they sometimes partially function as retaining walls.

Paving, Surfaces and Plants Traditionally, courtyards were paved with cobblestones made of limestone.

However, during socialist times, residents often covered their courtyards in concrete. In most cases, people only pave the areas immediately in front of their house and the path leading to their entrance gate, while other parts of

c.

the house

37

3.1 Courtyards the courtyard are used for plants. Typical plants in these courtyards are: fruit trees, such as figs, citrus, grapes, pomegranates, and dates; herbs, such as basil, laurels, sage, rosemary, mint, and oregano; and a variety of vegetables.

Cisterns and Wells Cisterns are used to collect rainwater. They are positioned in the courtyard or inside the house, in the ground floor or katoi area. The insides of a cistern are built with a well-like vertical shaft and the water storage tank ceiling is usually a stonework barrel vault. On the inside, they are plastered with a layer of horasani, for waterproofing. Rainwater is fed to the cistern through ceramic pipes.

Since the provision of potable water has always been an issue for some of the villages in this region, they used to dig wells. A well is often situated in the middle of a courtyard. Wells are less typical than cisterns.

Materials and Technical Issues

Challenges - Courtyards are often paved over with concrete, sealing the ground, thus preventing natural drainage and giving an unattractive appearance to traditional spaces.

- Inappropriate modern metal or plastic constructions are added to provide shade or shelter.

- Inappropriate external staircases made of concrete or metal are added to connect upper floors to courtyards. They sometimes block the main facade covering representative facade elements.

- Drainage is another challenge in courtyards. Traditionally, channels were (and still are) built around the courtyard to collect water coming from the roof to then discharge it into the street channels or the cistern. These channels are often blocked because of the lack of maintenance. Due to this, the courtyards often get flooded when it rains.

b.

38

the house

a. a. A courtyard in Vuno. The stone paving has been very well preserved, and the space is enhanced by an abundance of flowers, herbs, and greenery in vases and planters. b. A courtyard in HimarĂŤ Fshat. The stonework has been well preserved. The steps in the foreground lead to the house veranda. c. A well in the courtyard of a house in Ilias.

An electric pump is used to bring the well water into. d. A two building arrangement on a flat plot.

The complex is accessed through a paved courtyard with two entrances. e. A two-house complex built at different times on adjoining plots.

c.

Front entrance Surrounding wall

House entrance

House entrance

Secondary entrance

Toilets

Well

Stepped street

d.

Newly Constructed Roof

Cistern

Main gate Adjacent building Terrace Alleyway House entrance

Chimney

e.

the house

39

3.1 Courtyards - Toilets and kitchens located in courtyards are inconvenient, often outdated, present difficulties in accessibility and can spoil the recreational aspects of a courtyard.

- Traditional plants are replaced with plants that do not belong to the region, or the plants are uncared for or removed, leaving the courtyards lifeless.

Recommendations - The possibility of locating toilets and kitchens inside the building should be investigated. A solution that does not disrupt the house’s appearance should be developed by the house owner to suit the particular situation.

- Houses that are not Cultural Monuments, toilets could be attached or be extensions of the house. In that case, any new additions should show that they are new constructions. This could be done by using modern building materials and techniques, or if using same materials as the existing building, the new extension should carry an inscription stating that it was newly built, and when. In both cases, the extensions should be located at the back of the house, and should not be higher than the walls surrounding the property.

- Amenities, such as storege huts or sheds should be placed at the back of the courtyard, and again not be higher than the property’s surrounding walls.

- Cobblestones used for paving courtyards should come from local sources.

They should not be laid in concrete but sand in order to let rainwater drain into the ground. Stone is the preferred material for courtyard paving. However, other materials that do not disturb the courtyard’s overall appearance can be used, e.g. wood decking, tree trunk slices, or wood or stone tiles. When laying new paving, always make sure it slopes away from the building.

- For shade and shelter constructions, timber and thatch-work are the preferred materials, and lightweight supporting structures should be used.

These constructions should not cover more than half of the courtyard’s total area and shouldn’t be higher than the surrounding walls.

- Ensure the functioning of the courtyard’s drainage pipes, channels, and

b.

40

the house

a.

a. A courtyard in Qeparo seen from the main gate of the house. Courtesy of Herve Loiselet. b. Courtyard of Osumi Hotel in Berat. This is a good example on how a courtyard can be adapted to host other functions, such as a cafe, or restaurant. c. Courtyard of Hotel Gjirokastra in the city with the same name. Stone paving and soft-scape create a suitable atmosphere for an outdoors bars and restaurant.

c.

ATTENTION! • DO NOT use strongly coloured stone tiles for paving. Use local stone, which is normally beige.

• DO NOT fully seal your courtyard. Lay paving in sand, not concrete. Leave gaps or areas free for plants and natural drainage.

• DO NOT cover courtyards with new building structures.

• DO NOT remove or alter historical courtyard walls or features.

• DO NOT build new structures in the courtyards if your house is a registered Cultural Monument or inside a protected village centre.

d. Front courtyard of a house in Vuno. A thin metal structure is used to support the vines, which offer shade to the stone paved area below. e. The panoramic view from a courtyard in Vuno. Plants supported by a thin metal structure create a canopy that frames the view and provides shade.

d.

gullies. Keep the old drainage system if possible. Connect the pipes and drainage channels directly with the cisterns, or with the main gutters and drainage channels of the roads in order to avoid flooding in the courtyards.

- Place sewer covers in discreet locations and use types of sewer covers that are in harmony with the paving. They should be made from metal, not plastic.

- Surrounding walls should always be constructed from limestone, and they should be topped with a layer of capstones to protect them from water and climatic conditions, and extend the wall’s durability.

- Traditional regional plants should be cultivated. When containers are required, pottery rather than plastic containers should be used. Placing or planting greenery in a courtyard enhances its appearance, improves the micro-climate, provides shade, and can contribute to the household provisions.

e.

the house

41

a.

3.2 Façades

b. a. A two storey house located at the side of the National Road in Vuno. Green window frames are not typical in this region, but in this case they add value to the façade. b. A house of the first typology in Qeparo.

The ground floor (katoi) is used for storage, while upper storey serves as living accommodation. c. A house of the second typology in Dhërmi.

A two storey building with a balcony in the centre of the façade at the first floor level overlooking the sea.

The arrangement of the houses does not follow specific rules, but is organized according to the site conditions and orientation. The same applies to the organization and orientation of the main facade. There is a noticeable preference for orienting main façades to the south, although this is not always possible because of the topography or the house’s relation to the street. In some cases, the main facade is directly on, or overlooking the street.

If it’s not overlooking the street, the main facade of the house becomes a dominant element of the courtyard. There are two different house typologies (as described in 3. The House, page 31), and, correspondingly, there are two main facade typologies.

The first type of façade is usually plastered at the first floor level, but it might not be at the ground floor level. Windows are generally bigger at the first floor. Because the ground floor spaces are lower in height and not used as living accommodation, the windows here are often very small.

In the second house typology, both ground and first floor spaces are used as living accommodation, and are of the same height. The front façade of these types of houses is usually symmetrical and has upright rectangular windows of the same size at both floor levels. The spaces between window openings are typically 1½ – 2 times the width of the window opening. In some cases, there is a small balcony at the upper level facing the sea. Occasionally, houses of the second typology might have three storeys. In these cases, the façade at the second floor level is usually the same as that at the first floor level.

Originally, façades were not plastered, but since the beginning of the 19th century, the façade at the first floor level and sometimes the whole façade was rendered with lime plaster, and in both cases, a vertical strip of stonework was left unplastered at each end of the wall. In cases where façades were not plastered, the mortar between the stones would be applied in a way that covered the edges of the stones (by up to 2.5 cm), to provide a durable bond and to protect the corners of the stones, this technique is

c.

the house

43

3.2 Façades called fugatimi in Albanian.

The exposed stonework in most cases is well finished and is sometimes decorated with carved ornamental elements, which might be floral, geometric or show the construction year of the building: they are important elements of the façade and of the building as a whole. In some buildings, there are small rectangular holes in the façades: these are where wooden scaffolding was anchored when the house was being built.

External stairs are other important elements that are more often seen on façades of the houses of the first typology described above. They are constructed of stone and are often coloured white, using lime wash. From the 1950s on, people started replacing these traditional stone stairs with stairs made of concrete. In first typology houses (Banesa me Kat or gjysmëkat), external steps usually lead up to a veranda on the first floor.

Challenges - Façades are prone to problems. On the one hand, technical issues, such as the use of inappropriate materials, the lack of craftsmanship or inexperience in restoration work presents multiple problems. On the other hand, building owners who want to adapt their living space to modern standards and amenities, mostly start by changing typical façade elements, like doors, windows, roofs (the so-called “5th façade”), etc.

- Other problems arise from the use of hard concrete and cement based mortars and renders on natural stone walls. They can deteriorate or crack, allowing water to infiltrate the wall and destroy it from the inside.

- Often, modern synthetic paints that are too dense and do not last, are used for the outside of walls. In recent years, colours used are not from the traditional range of colours, and are mostly too bright, thus disfiguring the aesthetic harmony of the village.

b.

44

the house

a.

a. A two storey house in Himarë Fshat, with plastic windows and doors, which are inappropriate for aesthetic and technical reasons. b. A three storey house in Dhërmi, with visible signs of deterioration. c. A house in Piqeras with a plastered façade and side walls using a technique known as grafiatto, which is not recommended. The corners of the house are left exposed not in a traditional manner and the chimney does not follow traditional guidelines as well.

c.

d.

d. A house in Ilias. Antennas and air-conditioning on the main façade of the building disrupt the aesthetics of the building and the village as a whole. e. A house in Qeparo Fshat. The stone work at the corners of the façade is left exposed, but the other part of the façade is covered with a thick dense layer of plaster, which is not like traditionally thin façade plasterwork that allows the stonework to be faintly visible, and, more importantly, to breath.

- Cables and appliances (antennae, air conditioners, solar panels etc.) represent a challenge in terms of placing them in ways that do not disrupt the general appearance of the facade.

- Electrical light fittings or lamps are often installed on façades to illuminate courtyards or streets. Sometimes, imitations of old-style lamps are used in order to appear “authentic”, but traditional villages did not have any electrical lighting at all.

- Front doors of houses lacking awnings or porticoes are exposed to the weather. Even if awnings were not traditionally installed over front doors, they are extremely advantageous in protecting doors (and people entering the house) from the weather. Residents do sometimes install awnings or porticoes, but they are often out of proportion to the facade (too big) or use inappropriate materials (e.g. plastic).

- Most modern materials do not fit in with traditional buildings, both technically and aesthetically. Concrete and cement mortar are too hard and do not adjust in the same way as traditional materials to building movements caused by changes of temperature and humidity.

Recommendations - Making new window openings in façades is not recommended. You can however consult with the responsible heritage authorities, and if permission for a new opening is approved, respect the dimensions, form, and materials of the traditional ones. Any new windows or doors that are to be put into those openings should have the same characteristics (material, shape, proportions) of the traditional windows or doors.

- The most appropriate materials are the traditional ones: lime for mortar and rendering, and lime paint with earth pigments for painting, both of which are easy to apply and inexpensive.

e.

the house

45

3.2 Faรงades - The stonework at wall corners, archways and window or door openings should be treated with great care. Removing faรงade plaster while carrying out repairs or renovations should be done by hand and not by using heavyduty tools or machinery. Chemicals are generally not needed to protect the surfaces of faรงades made from traditional materials.

- If alterations are made to a faรงade, they should conform to the traditional proportions and dimensions of windows, doors and other features and elements (see 3.4 Gates and Doors page 63, and 3.5 Windows page 73).

- A small range of traditional colours, such as earth or pastel, can be used to colour the plaster. Bright, neon-like colours for faรงades should be avoided as they disrupt the aesthetics of the village (See palette, page 51)!

- Gutters and pipes should be made of galvanized metal or copper. They should have minimal impact on the appearance of the facade. If galvanized metal or copper cannot be used, pipes can be painted to match the colour of the wall.

- Position devises or equipment, such as air-conditioning units, discreetly.

Place air conditioners on the rear facade or cover them with metal panels that are of the same colour as the faรงade.

- Place TV cables horizontally under the eaves or vertically on the walls.

Preferably, paint the cables the same colour as the walls, for instance paint them or grey on stone walls, or white or grey on lighter plastered walls.

- Lamps attached to faรงades should not mimic old types of lamps that are not traditional in these villages. They should be minimalistic, clearly reflect their modern character, and positioned so that they donโ t disrupt the appearance of the facade.

a. a. A house in Lukova. The first floor faรงade is plastered while the lower part is left with exposed stonework. b. A house in Apulia, Italy. Cables are arranged horizontally and vertically on the outside walls but without sufficient care so that they disrupt the otherwise well maintained faรงade. c. A two storey house in Lukova. The plastering of the faรงade is done in the technique called fugatimi, where the stones are only partially covered. d. Drawing of a typical house of the first typology (Banesa me kat). The entrance to the house at the first floor level is reached via external stone stairs. e. Drawing of a house of the second typology (Banesa e Bregut). The faรงade is almost fully plastered with stones at the corners left exposed.

b.

46

the house

c.

Open gable roof Open gable roof

Roof Eave First floor First floor

Corner stone Corner Rectangular windows stone

Ground Ground floor floor

Rectangular windows

Roof Eave x

Main door

x

Main door

Stone stairs y

Stone stairs

y

d.

Hipped roof

Ground Ground floor floor

First floor First floor

Second Second floor floor

Hipped roof

Roof Eave z

Roof Eave

z

Corner stone Corner stone

x x x

x

x y

x

y

Wooden rails Wooden rails

e.

the house

47

3.2 Faรงades

a. Various faรงades of houses in the region showing different plastering, pointing, and colouring techniques, some of which are acceptable within the range of traditional finishing.

a.

48

the house

ATTENTION! • DO NOT use inappropriate non-traditional building materials such as cement plaster, spray plaster, or polystyrene elements.

• Do not put air conditioning units on main façades. Do not put satellite dishes or conspicuous aerials on façades (if necessary, find a communal solution to obtaining broadcast signals).

• DO NOT cover the stone walls with thick layers of plaster.

• DO NOT put insulation on the exterior of façades, so as not to cover the stonework.

• DO NOT remove original plastering if it is in a good state of repair.

• DO NOT remove cornices, window frames and decorative elements if they are in good states of repair.

• DO NOT use bright or neon colours because they disrupt the visual harmony of the street, the village, and the locality.

• DO NOT change the organizational structure of a historical façade by closing window or door openings or making new ones, or by adding elements (e.g. balconies) or removing existing historical features.

• DO NOT make any changes to a façade’s appearance if your house is a Cultural Monument or is within a protected historical centre. Any alterations you make to a façade should be approved by the Institute of Cultural Monuments.

• DO NOT make new window openings in façades. However you can consult with the responsible heritage authorities for permission for a new opening: if granted, respect the dimensions, form, and materials of traditional windows.

b. Suggested colours for plaster and paint on historical buildings façades in traditional villages in the Himara Region. The colour codes shown are from both the RAL and the NCS colour systems.

b.

the house

49

3.2 Faรงades S IG

recommended

N AGE

not recommended

a.

b.

a. Cut out lettering signages are recommended for signages on front doors (as illustrated in the drawing) instead of full signage boards. b. A hanging copper and steel sign fixed to a stone wall. These modern materials are lightweight and readily available. Such signs area easily bolted to stonework walls, but the heigh and overhang dimensions shown on the diagram below on this page need to be adhered to. c. A wooden sign in Dubrovnik, Croatia with carved decorations and lettering adds value to the faรงade. d. Recommended dimensions for overhanging signs on faรงades. e. Hand painted sign in Polignano, Italy, attached to a wall with simple metal nails inserted into the mortar joint so as to not damage the surface of the stonework.

c.

f. Hanging metal and wood sign in Gjirokastra, Albania, with simple and informative lettering, which is preferred.

SIGNAGE

min 250 cm

max. 60 cm

e.

building wall

stone alley

d.

50

the house

f.

ATTENTION! • DO NOT use LED signage. Blinking, flashing, changing, or reflecting lights are strongly discouraged.

• DO NOT use excessively bright or fluorescent colours.

• DO NOT use acrylic or other plastic materials or light boxes.

• DO NOT place signage in ways that obstruct windows and/or doorways.

• DO NOT use or place signs in ways that cover or obscure architectural details or façade ornamentation.

• DO NOT hang advertising hoardings, billboards or posters on a façade.

g. The Kliarko Family house sign in Qeparo is a stone plate held in place with metal clips. The lettering is carved into the plate and then painted over with blue paint. h. A metal sign with laser cut lettering. Simple signage is preferred because it does not disturb the characteristic aesthetic of the villages.

g.

Signage - Where there is a need to redevelop an existing building into a shop or business, branding elements, such as signs, should be used in moderation, especially on historical buildings or in historically sensitive sites or protected areas.

It is also important that shop fronts are designed to integrate with the visual characteristics of the village, its typical colour schemes and facade styles.

- Use indirect lighting and avoid excessive brightness.

- Shop signs should be positioned on the ground floor facade only, and there should be a gap between the sign and the first floor windows.

- Use wooden, metal, or stone signage.

- Signs that project at right angles from a wall should not be larger than 60 x 40 cm, and they should not cover or obscure significant façade elements.

- Lettering styles should complement the building’s architecture and therefore hard-to-read intricate typefaces should be avoided.

h.

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51

3.2 Faรงades

a. Different awning types and materials. Wood, metal, cloth, glass, etc. can be used in order to provide shade and protection from the rain for doors and people standing next to them. Even seasonal materials, such as straw or dried grass can be used (as in the example in the upper left).

a.

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ATTENTION! • DO NOT support awnings or canopies with heavy structures such as stonework pillars or concrete posts.

• DO NOT obscure facade elements such as stone ornaments with awnings or canopies.

• DO NOT install awnings or canopies without allowing for adequate drainage arrangements (e.g. slope awnings or canopies away from façades).

• DO NOT use awnings or canopies over windows to provide shade: traditional wooden shutters can provide this function.

• DO NOT place awnings or canopies on Cultural Monuments. Any additions to houses inside Protected Historical Centres can only be made with the approval of the Institute of Cultural Monuments.

b. An awning made of steel with a polycarbonate covering. c. A clear awning made of steel and glass. d. A suspended awning made of steel and tempered glass. This minimalistic type of awning is very simple and modern, and does not disturb the overall appearance of the building. Be aware that when using glass in awnings, it should be safety glass (wired or laminated) to prevent or minimize accidental injury if it were to fall.

Awnings - Canopies and awnings can be used, but should not be supported by heavy elements, such as stone pillars or concrete posts. Porticoes are not typical for this region.

- Materials that should be used are wood or iron for the structure, and metal, fabric or glass for the covering.

- Colours should be similar or to the colours of the façade.

- Canopies or awnings should be not too big, but proportional to the façade; door canopies should not be wider than the door (up to 120 cm) and not more than 60 cm in depth.

- If more than one canopy is used on a façade (for example one over a door and one over a balcony), they should be of the same type (materials, colours, shapes, and size).

- Awnings should be placed close to the door lintel.

b.

c.

d.

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a.

THE HOUSE

3.3 Walls

b.

a. A house with a plastered blank wall in Qeparo Fshat. b. A corner of a house in Himara, showing how weather like rain can expose the stonework and damage the wall. c. Coloured drawing of Himarë Fshat, showing damaged plasterwork on the ruin in the foreground, and a fully plastered house in the background. Drawing by Ani Tashi, 2017, during the “Sketching Cultural Heritage Workshop”, ISDSCR programme (GIZ).

The walls of traditional houses in the villages of the region are usually made of limestone excavated from nearby quarries. The excavated stone is worked and used for foundations, masonry wainscots and load-bearing walls. There are also cases of stone excavated from the construction site itself, and then used there. Stones are joined together using lime mortar. Wood is another material often used in wall construction, and is used in the form of rods or rails that work as reinforcement to strengthen walls and help them resist potential damage from the earthquakes that this region is prone to. Wood is available everywhere in Albania, although its characteristics, such as its flexibility and size of section, vary, which determines the differences in local construction traditions. The types of wood most commonly used are poplar, juniper or mulberry. There are, however, cases where the walls are built without wooden rails, which is a much older technique.

The thickness of a typical wall varies. It can be 130 cm thick at the foundations, 100-120 cm at ground floor level, 70-90 cm at first floor level, and at the eaves the width shrinks to 8-12 cm (see drawings, page 57).

The wall cornices are usually made of stone. In some cases, they are constructed with two layers of stones, each five centimetres high, overhanging the wall by 5-10 cm. The corners of the walls are usually strengthened with larger blocks.

There are two types of wall construction. The first is without wooden rails. In this type, the wall is made of two layers of stonework parallel to each other and with a space or cavity in between. Connections between the masonry layers are made by what are called diatones (transverse stones) and the cavities are filled with small or crushed stones. The wall is made of regularly sized and shaped stones.

In the second (and most commonly used) type of walls there are two parallel layers of stones with a space in between them, which is likewise filled with earth and small stones. In this case, the connection between the two layers

c.

the house

55

3.3 Walls of stonework is made by wooden rails, and no transverse stones are used.

Bosnian Pine is the type of wood used for the wooden rails. Longitudinal rails are placed horizontally on both layers of the wall structure, at vertical intervals of 70-100 cm, starting from the ground floor. Transverse wooden elements are placed at 80 cm or 120 cm distances along the length of the wall. This wooden wall reinforcement is called brez in Albanian: the word brez translates as “belt” or “girdle” in English, and thus reflects the task it has in “girding” together the masonry as steel bars do in a reinforced concrete structure.

The wooden rods or rails are not usually visible on the façade: they are covered or buried in the masonry to avoid their exposure to the atmosphere in order to prevent them from deterioration. The rails are visible near the roof as they are protected by the overhang of the roof eaves. The section of the wooden rails is rectangular and varies between 3 x 5 cm for the transverse ones and 8 x 15 cm for the longitudinal ones. The wooden elements are joined together with iron nails. This second type of wall construction is the most evolved, durable and solid of the two types of wall construction.

Surfaces Walls are usually plastered in white lime. However, there are also cases when the walls are not plastered and the stonework is exposed. The mortar used in stone walls is made from lime, usually white in colour (refer to page 49 for recommended colours). Plastering walls was common only in coastal villages in Himara region. Initially, earth mixed with water and straw was used for the first layer of plaster. Later, it was substituted with lime.

The plasterwork is usually finished with a rough surface. In some cases, a technique called fugatimi is used where only the edges of the stone are plastered (up to one inch). Decorative plaster surface treatments are not used.

b.

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the house

a.

a. A house wall in Kudhës showing the used of fugatimi plastering technique. b. A wall with its plasterwork deteriorated by weather and time. Careful maintenance is the best preservation method. c. A house in Vuno, with the outer walls in good condition. However, closing up window openings, as on the return wall of this example, is not encouraged. d. Drawings of traditional stone wall constructions in the southern coastal region.

c.

Limestone

Limestone

Wooden rails fixed with nails

Wooden rails fixed with nails

Limestone

Limestone

Lime mortar

Lime mortar

Limestone

Wooden rails fixed with nails

First floor 70-90cm

Crushed stone Lime mortar Limestone

Ground floor 100-120cm

d.

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57

3.3 Walls The surfaces of stones used in walls are usually worked, whether they are exposed or plastered. The surfaces of those used at the corners of façades are more finely wrought.

Ornamentation Buildings in this area often have stone bas-relief decorations, which are placed in the wall corners or over window or door openings. Ornaments are also made of lime stucco or the stonework is sometimes decorated with lime paint. The ornaments can contain floral, geometrical or even religious motifs.

Sometimes, the construction year or historical details are also carved in the wall corners or over window or door openings.

Challenges for Walls: - One of the main dangers to building structures is the lack of maintenance to walls and roofs. Water can infiltrate walls through holes in the roof, through cracks in the walls, or through joints where the plaster is gone and the mortar at the joints is falling out. Moisture rising from below due to capillary action will damage walls if it is not properly and quickly led away and allowed to dissipate. Walls with wooden reinforcements can suffer if the walls cannot dry and the wood starts to moulder.

- Another danger is well-meant but technically wrong restoration using inappropriate materials and techniques. Modern types of concrete should not be used in historical houses. Its technical and physical characteristics are not fit for walls of natural stone. It is far too hard, causing tension problems between old and new materials. It is not flexible enough for places like Albania that are subject to seismic activity.

- Often, the plaster is removed to expose the stonework. It is commonly believed that exposed stone is the traditional appearance of a façade, but

a.

a. A thickly plastered wall in Dhërmi. The addition of a stone tiled plinth course to protect the wall from humidity is not a preferred solution. b. A house in Himarë Fshat. The rough and illmaintained courtyard wall in the foreground contrasts with the careful stonework and plastering of the house wall to which it is attached. This difference is often seen in houses in the region.

b.

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this is not true. This not only changes the character of an area, but can also cause long-term damage to the masonry.

- In other cases, plaster covers important decorative stone elements.

- Cement mortar is often used instead of lime mortar, which not only spoils the aesthetics of the wall, but also damages the stonework.

- Ornamentation is sometimes completely covered over with plaster, hiding a very important characteristic of the building.

- Applying insulation on the outside can be a danger to historical buildings.

External insulation not only changes the properties and natural behaviour of historical stone walls, but it also harms the traditional appearance of the building and the village ensemble.

c.

c. A wall in HimarĂŤ Fshat. Wall anchors are used to keep the stones in place and prevent the wall from movement damage. d. A house in Vuno with exposed corner stonework. e. Part of a plastered wall in HimarĂŤ Fshat, which shows a plastering technique that is not recommended, because plaster should not cover the stones.

d.

Recommendations for Walls: - Maintenance is the most important factor in preserving historical houses.

Do not let any small damage grow to the extent that it will affect the historical materials.

- Maintain and restore the original substance as much as possible. Rebuilding of large areas should be avoided if possible. Apply temporary reinforcement to the walls where immediate repair is not possible. When walls are seriously damaged, metal wall anchors or fasteners can be used to keep stones in place. Do not replace stones that are not damaged.

- Inspect the stonework regularly (e.g. annually) for loose debris, moss etc., and prevent their build up by carrying out the necessary maintenance.

- Roofs must be inspected at regular intervals, and small holes repaired at once, not only to protect the roof, but also the walls below it.

- Damage to walls, on the surface, in the joints or elsewhere, should be mended with the same materials used for building the walls: lime plaster,

e.

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59

3.3 Walls natural stone and wood.

- Lime render is the characteristic material for plastering stone walls in traditional structures.

- Mortar joints should be made according to the traditional way, which means that mortar should not cover the stones. It should be visible as little as possible (see fugatimi technique referred to on page 56).

- For painting, lime paints are easily available and work perfectly with the stone and lime mortar. They can be applied every year or two without causing problems in the walls - Residents who have spent time outside the country, often copy or “import” ways of building or building elements that are not traditional to villages in southern Albania, such as bright whitewashed walls.

- Decorative stonework, which is an integral and important part of an external wall, should be maintained with care and knowledge. Removing and renewing old layers of mortar and paint helps to preserve the stone.

Likewise, moss and algae should be removed, but chemical treatments should not be used. All this should be done carefully by hand. A perfect “likenew” surface is not the goal.

-If your house is a listed Cultural Monument, any intervention you make to the wall structure must be backed up with “before and after” photographic evidence of what was carried out.

- Follow the proper formula for making lime: the ratio is: one unit of aggregate (sand), to one unit of water, to one unit of lime. The lime used should always be fired at an appropriate temperature in order to have the reactivity needed to provide bond strength and resistance to freeze-thaw weather cycles.

b.

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the house

a. a. Detail of a wall and wall cornice in Himarë Fshat.

The right hand part of the wall is painted with white lime, which is the recommended technique, whereas the thick plaster layer on the left part is not recommended. b. Detail of a wall in Himarë Fshat. Decorative elements, like this spiral carving, are found quite frequently in the villages of the coastal region. But similar ornaments are sometimes hidden under thick layers of wall plaster. c. Corner of a house. A Cultural Monument of the first category in Dhërmi. Stones decorated with carvings resembling of human faces are positioned on the front façade. Similar decorative elements should be preserved and maintained.

c.

ATTENTION! • DO NOT use cement based render on the walls as it damages the wall! Use lime plaster instead.

• DO NOT use cement based mortar in the stonework as it causes moisture and other problems in the stones. Using lime mortar is more suitable.

• DO NOT plaster over cornices above windows or doors.

• DO NOT plaster over the exposed stonework at wall corners.

• DO NOT clad the walls of new structures with thin stone tiles, as they do not match the traditional stonework of village buildings.

• DO NOT use stone other than limestone, the preferred colours being beige or light grey.

d. A carved floral detail on a house in Lukovë. Such decorative elements should not be covered with plaster or other materials, because they add value to the overall image of the house and the village. e. A recently renovated house in Himarë Fshat with concrete walls clad with stone tiles. A new additional has been made to it with reinforced concrete structure. Such techniques and materials are not recommended.

d.

e.

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a.

3.4 Gates & Doors Gates to a courtyard or doors to a house are important features and give character to the whole dwelling. A larger or more elaborately designed door or gate indicates that wealthier or more powerful house owner installed it.

b.

a. A wooden gate in Qeparo Fshat. b. An entrance gate in Dhërmi. The height of the gate is three meters, and the frame is in the Doric style. c. A keystone of a gate in Palasë, with the year 1888 carved in it (being the year when the house was constructed). d. A metal door bolt in Ilias that passes across both leaves of a gate. e. An arch framed entrance gate in Nivica, with a niche (kamare) for lamps or candles, and a seat (sofat) in the stonework on each side of it.

Gates Gates to village houses in the southern coastal region are between 150 x 200 cm in width. They are usually double leafed and traditionally made of wood and ornamented. Sometimes they have frame constructions with plank in-fills. Traditionally, gates were not painted with colours, but oiled.

Later, especially during and after the socialist era, residents started painting their gates in blue, green and turquoise colours, but if they were made of expensive woods, they were not coloured, but oiled, as originally, or, in more recent times, treated with varnish.

During the socialist era many wooden gates were replaced with metal gates (using non eroding metal sheets), painted in various colours (green and turquoise being predominant). These metal gates are often ornamented with floral or geometric decorations, and they are often fitted with special door knockers, which add to their character.

Entrance gates are usually placed within an arched stone frame. The springers (the lowest stones of the arch of the arched stone frame) and the keystones are sometimes emphasized by being bigger and protruding forward. The stone frames are often carved with decorations. Similar to wall ornamentations, these can be floral or geometric motifs or religious symbols. Keystones are often more elaborate than the other stones, and the building’s construction year is occasionally carved into the front of the stonework. On the sides of the gate’s frame, niches (kamare) are made in order to hold lamps or candles. Gates are locked by metal bolts that pass across both leaves in the case of double gates, or by conventional locking latches.

c.

d.

e.

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3.4 Gates & Doors Doors Houses are entered through rectangular or sometimes arched-topped single leaf wooden entrance doors, which vary in size between 90-100 cm in width and 210-230 cm in height. In some cases, they are framed in stone surrounds up to 15-20 cm wide and can have a cornice over them. Entrance doors are traditionally made from pine wood, and are often sheltered by a wooden canopy or awning.

Since the 1990s, some traditional wooden entrance doors have been replaced with aluminium or plastic doors. Buildings directly on the street have an entrance door only, which might be arch-topped or rectangular.

Maintenance

Challenges - Maintenance and moisture problems: Wooden and metal doors or gates can degrade because of a lack of or badly carried out maintenance. Often, over years, doors and gates become covered with many layers of paint and are repaired in makeshift ways. As a result, the functionality of the doors and gates is affected: they do not close properly, the metal fittings sometimes break, etc.

- A particular problem is the lack of effective protection against moisture.

Multiple layers of cracked paint make it impossible for moisture to escape.

Sometimes cornices of doors are covered over and plastered, which produces mould.

- Another problem is the use of cement mortar for joining stones together in archways. In most of the cases, the work is not carefully done and mortar smears onto the surface of the stone. Traditionally, stones were not joined with mortar.

a.

a. An arched courtyard gateway closed with stones in the village of Vuno. b. A wooden door in Ilias. Several paint layers are visible on the stone frame, which is showing signs of moisture damage. The wooden door is also showing signs of deterioration. c. Section and elevation of a traditional gate canopy made of wood and clay tiles. d. A typical gate canopy in Nivica.

Roof tiles (ridge)

Roof tiles (ridge)

Roof tiles (convex&concave) Rafter (wood)

Wooden beam Wall plate (wood) Stone wall

b.

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Roof tiles (convex&concave) Wooden beam Stone wall

c.

d.

e.

e. A wooden door in the village of Vuno. The lower part has deteriorated and needs maintenance. f. A repaired wooden door in Gjirokastra. The lower parts had deteriorated and needed to be repaired. The bad material was cut away, and new elements, which clearly show their newness, were inserted. (Photo courtesy of Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) Albania). g. A recently repaired gate in the city of Berat in central Albania. New wooden parts were added to the gate, while the roof-like canopy was completely rebuilt.

f.

Recommendations - Small but regularly carried out measures (e.g. annually) can help to keep doors and gates in a good condition over the years: oil the fittings, keep the wood clean, ensure the surrounding stone elements are not damaged and do small repairs in time to prevent a loss of functionality. Different materials require different kinds of maintenance: to keep wooden doors in order, you need to paint them or apply linseed oil coatings; for metal doors, lacquer is sufficient.

- If you decide to paint your door or gate, you should choose paint based on linseed oil and if this is not available it should be a paint that is open for diffusion and sufficiently elastic. New solutions should be used (that have additional ingredients such as wax, anti-mould and anti-parasite treatments etc.).

- Remove all unnecessary layers of paint before applying new coats. If the lower part of the gate is deteriorated, metal sheets can be attached to that part of the gate with nails.

- Any mortar applied to stonework surrounding doors or gates should be lime based and applied carefully so that it does not smear the surface of the stone.

Renovation or Replacement

Challenges - The deterioration of doors or gates, which is often the result of bad or nonexistent maintenance, sometimes leads residents and owners to exchange or replace doors or gates. Often valuable old wooden doors and gates, made from high quality materials, are exchanged with cheap low quality replacements (usually metal or plastic).

- The value of the original frames, fittings, and decorative elements are often

g.

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65

3.4 Gates & Doors underestimated and they are thrown away.

- The wood used for new doors is often not properly seasoned or does not have the right moisture content and deteriorates easily.

- Traditionally the tops of the wall surrounding entrance gates were covered with roof-like structures that protected the gates against the weather and sheltered people at the entrance to the building’s courtyard. These are often removed or reconstructed with inappropriate material (e.g. metal sheets or plastic), which affects the appearance of the village.

Recommendations - Historical doors and stone arched gates should be preserved or reconstructed. The value of an original traditional wooden door or gate is much higher than that of a modern replacement, and very often original doors and gates only need a partial repair to be in good working order again.

- Try to keep and preserve all the original elements of doors and gates: their old arched frames, door fittings, decorative elements, etc. When carrying out repairs or renovations, reuse old parts (e.g. door knockers) whenever possible, use similar types of materials (e.g. replace deteriorated wooden parts with wood of the same type), and replace broken hinges, screws and nails with parts that match the original. If necessary, dismantle the door or gate, carry out the needed repairs and reassemble it. When repainting a door or gate, choose colours that match those typical of historical doors in the village (see door picture collage, page 70).

- Wood can be recycled. You can reuse the wood material of another old door, gate, or window by retreating and re-purposing it.

- The location of a gate in the village is important. If a gate is situated in a main street and needs to be replaced, the replacement should be of wood.

If it is not on a main street, an iron gate can be used.

b.

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a.

a. A well preserved door lock in a house in DhĂŤrmi.

All the elements of the house are important features that need to be taken care of. b. A gate in the village of LukovĂŤ. Floral bas-relief decorations frame the gate opening, while the wooden gate itself has several ornaments that increase its value. c. A wooden door made of simple horizontal wood battens in a house in Vuno. Wooden features need to be preserved with protective paint, but bright colours should not be used. d. An arched wooden gate typical of the region. e. A wooden house entrance door typical of the region.

c.

Key stone Arch architrave (stone) Key stone Wooden batten fixed with nails Arch architrave (stone)

Knob Wooden batten fixed with nails

Wooden doorframe Knob Stone door threshold Wooden doorframe

d.

Stone door threshold

Rectangular architrave (stone)

Rectangular architrave (stone) Door Knocker

Door Knocker Knob

Knob

Stone door threshold

e.

Stone door threshold

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3.4 Gates & Doors - Generally, wooden doors and gates should not be changed but maintained as much as possible. Replacements should only be used when repair or renovation is impossible In such cases, the replica should be similar to the original in terms of size, proportions and materials. If neither an original object nor accurate historical documentations are available, the new door or gate should respect the overall visual appearance, construction, proportions and materials of the house and of others in the village.

- Originally, doors and gates were made from local pine wood. If wooden doors or gates need to be replaced, the recommended wood type is seasoned pine, which is not only appropriate historically, but also in terms of quality of materials and regional availability (moisture content should be maximum 12-18%).

- Other types of wood that can be used include chestnut, and imported pine, and sources might include ready-made wood battens.

- Damaged wooden gates can be repaired or renovated by covering them partly or completely with non-eroding metal sheets or plates. Iron nails or bolts should be used to attach the metal to the wood.

- If an original wooden gate is beyond repair, and replacing it with a new wooden gate is not possible for some reason, replacing it with a non-eroding metal sheet gate is acceptable. It is also possible to ornament these metal gates in a similar way to the old wooden gate, thus recalling characteristics of traditional gates.

- Roof-like structures over gateways should be constructed in traditional ways using traditional materials.

Making new door openings or closing existing openings

When owners want to make functional changes to their houses, they often

b.

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a.

a. A metal gate in the village of DhĂŤrmi. Decorative elements preserved in this example, add value to the house and the village as a whole. b. A new wooden gate in Vuno. The upper parts are in good conditions, but the lower parts have started to deteriorate from the effects of the sun and rain. c. A metal gate in LukovĂŤ. Moisture problems are visible in the surrounding stonework frame.

c.

decide to change the shape and size of existing door openings or make completely new ones in order to fit new ready-made doors into them.

Challenges - Changing or breaking open new door openings can cause structural and other problems. Filling in too big or unwanted openings with non-suitable materials can dramatically alter the natural circulation of air and moisture in the building, leading to condensation and mould formation.

- Making new openings can affect the overall stability of the building.

- New door openings are sometimes oversized and do not fit to the proportions of traditional openings

d.

d. Metal clips used to hold the stones in place in a stone gate frame in Lukovë.

Recommendations - While doing renovation work or transforming spaces to provide new functions, keep the overall character of a historical building in mind.

- Doors have to harmonize with the other openings in the façade. When it’s necessary to fill existing openings, do so with materials that closely match the existing stones (colour, size, proportions).

- If making a new opening seems really necessary to you, consult the responsible heritage department first.

e. A recent renovation carried out in Himarë Fshat.

Reinforced concrete has been used to make the lintel to a new opening. This is not a traditional method and is not recommended. f. An opening for a courtyard gate that has been closed with stone. g. A new wooden door in the village of Himarë Fshat, using the traditional forms and materials .

e.

f.

g.

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69

3.4 Gates & Doors

a.

a.

70

the house

ATTENTION! • DO NOT remove traditional wooden doors or gates. Replacements should only be used when repair or renovation is impossible. In such cases, the replica should be similar to the original in terms of size, proportions and materials.

• DO NOT replace a traditional door or gate unless renovation is not possible.

• DO NOT change the positions and proportions of the doors in the house facades.

• DO NOT change the proportions and sizes of traditional wooden doors in Protected Cultural Monuments. Any intervention should be backed up by before and after photographic evidence and approved by the Institute of Cultural Monuments.

a. Different types and colours of doors and gates in the villages of Himara Region. b. A gateway in Lukova. The wooden leaves of the gate itself are well maintained, but the brightly painted surrounding concrete is a bad example and not to be followed. c. A new door in the village of Himarë Fshat.

Replacing doors with these types of modern ones is not encouraged.

b.

c.

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71

a.

a.

3.5 Windows Windows might be rectangular or arch-shaped. Arch-shaped windows were superseded in later periods with rectangular shaped ones in later periods.

Window sizes and proportions do not vary much: heights are usually 1½ to 2 times the width, and their sizes are between 80-100 cm wide and 120150 cm in high. Window units are typically made of two side-hinged equal windows, each divided into three glass panes.

In houses with façades of the first type (see 3.2 Façades, page 43), the first floor windows in the main façade are larger than those on the ground floor.

In houses with façades of the second type, windows are generally of the same size on both floors.

Material Traditional window frames are made of wood. Originally, glass was not used, and windows were closed with wooden shutters. By the end of the 19th century, glass became widely used to improve protection from the weather. b.

a. A wooden window in an arched stone window surround in the village of Qeparo Fshat, with wellpreserved traditional wooden shutters. b. A first floor window in a house in Dhërmi, typical for the region, with two equal side-hinged leaves, each divided into three glazing panels. c. First floor windows of a house in the village of Vuno. The traditional wooden shutters, which are well preserved, are attached to the stone window surrounds.

Traditional window shutters The window openings of some buildings have shutters made of plain wooden planks fixed in or in front of the window niches. When closed, they cover the whole window opening. The shutters have a protective and an aesthetic function. When the shutters are open, pots with Mediterranean flowers are to be seen decorating the window ledges.

Window cornices and surrounds Decorated window cornices and surrounds are typical elements of the façades of buildings in the villages. The stonework surrounding window openings is carefully wrought and often embellished with carved ornaments. Cornices are usually not plastered or coloured. Often, there are special carvings in the stonework above the window, which can include the building’s construction date or bas-reliefs of high aesthetic value.

c.

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3.5 Windows Another type of opening is the small opening, known as frëngji in Albanian, which were originally defensive in purpose. They might be placed at both ground and first floor levels.

In the old villages, as inhabitants changed the use of the interior spaces, they would infill earlier fenestrations with stones and make new - usually larger - openings for doors and windows in the house or garden walls.

Window Renovation

Challenges - Due to a lack of maintenance, historical wooden windows lose their functionality. They don’t close properly and don’t provide the needed weather protection. This also applies to wooden shutters. Time-worn and weathered, they don’t protect the interiors from the weather. As a result, some owners replace old wooden windows and shutters with modern, sometimes lowquality, alternatives made out of non-traditional materials, such as plastic.

This negatively affects the micro-climate within the building, and can cause high humidity and mould formation in the walls.

- Colours used for windows and shutters, often very bright, disrupt the traditional appearance of the villages.

- It is not only the effects of time that can lead to damage. Renovations carried out in wrong ways, such as plastering over cornices at window or door openings, can hasten the deterioration and destruction of historical building elements.

Recommendations - Do not replace historical wooden windows and shutters with new ones if they are not damaged: in most cases, it is possible to restore the old ones. Even historical wooden windows can fulfil modern requirements for comfort and energy efficiency. You can put thicker glass, or double glass in the window (if the window frame allows for it), or a second window can be

b.

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a. a. Plastic windows on a façade of a house in Qeparo Fshat. Plastic is not a recommended material for windows in historically traditional settings. The size and proportion of the ground floor window shown here, is completely out of keeping with traditional village houses. b. A window in a recently renovated house in Himarë Fshat. The single leaf window frame made out of slightly tinted treated wood and the traditionally made wooden shutter are a good example of new work sensitively carried out. c. The closed shutters of another window in the same recently renovated house in Himarë Fshat. d. Drawing of a window typical of the region. e. Three examples of typical shutters and window details.

c.

Stone arch

Rectangular architrave (stone)

Metallic hinge (fixed on the stone)

Knob / Hook

Glass panel

Wooden shutter

Wooden window frame

d.

Stone sill

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3.5 Windows added on the inside to make a double window.

- Shutters are important traditional elements that should be maintained as much as possible. They protect the window from weather conditions. New ones should be made of wood and if using paint choose from the traditional range of colours.

- During renovation, deteriorated wooden parts can be carefully cut out and replaced using the same kind of wood and natural glue.

- Wood should be annually lacquered and oiled using linseed oils and antiparasite treatments, as well as solutions that help maintain the wood such as those containing waxes.

- Reuse old historical screws, nails, hinges, handles, brackets etc. or replace them with similar or original parts. It is also possible to reuse the original glass: in most cases, it is in flawless condition and can continue to serve for years.

- If the paintwork is defective, it does not mean the wood underneath is damaged. Remove all the paint completely before repainting. The paints used on historical windows are oil-based.

- It is important to oil the metal fittings, and inspect the paintwork annually and renew if necessary. It is recommended to install weather seals and weather bars, which should also be regularly inspected and maintained.

- When deciding on which finish to use, it is preferable to choose a clear coat that shows the colour of the wood, which is historically traditional in the region. But if colour finishes are to be used, choose colours that are suitable for the region.

- Do not plaster or cover up window cornices, but inspect and clean them periodically.

- Try finding better quality wood for windows than is currently available. A possibility is to reuse wood from old windows or doors etc.

- Do not add awnings over windows. Internal or external shutters should be used for weather protection.

b.

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a. a. A new window in a house in DhĂŤrmi, in traditional forms and materials. b. A roof-like awning or canopy over a window in Vuno. Awnings over windows are not recommended. c. Window in a two-storey house in DhĂŤrmi. The wooden shutters are well maintained and of traditional shape. The use of fluorescent or bright colours is not recommended. d. Drawing of a typical window in the region, with an arched architrave and no wooden shutters. It has anĂŤcarks in the lower part to place the flower pots. e. Drawing of a window in the region.

c.

Stone arch

Rectangular architrave (stone) Glass panel

Wooden window frame

Stone sill

d.

Metallic hinge (fixed on the stone)

Rectangular architrave (stone)

Glass panel

Wooden shutter Wooden window frame

Stone sill e.

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3.5 Windows - Generally speaking, shutters should be clear-coated as is traditional. If it is decided to use colours, choose colours that are in accordance with the general appearance of the village.

- In Protected Historical Centres, do not use garish colours on window frames or shutters.

Window Replacement

Challenges - In the last decades, building owners have often exchanged wooden windows with plastic or metal ones. This harms the visual integrity of the building and damages its technical performance, because new plastic or metal windows are often so air tight that the building fabric cannot respond to changes in temperature and humidity, resulting in problems such as the build up of mould.

- While doing renovations, residents often close up the house’s north facing window openings, believing that winter heating costs could be saved. But because this prevents proper cross-ventilation in the building, the building fabric can be damaged due to a build up of moisture and the development of mould. The reduction of natural ventilation also encouraged the use of artificial cooling during high temperature summer months, which is also to the detriment of the building’s fabric.

- Similarly, damage is done when new window openings are made in façades, or the dimensions or proportions of existing openings are changed. Such actions not only destroy the visual unity of a building, but also profoundly affect its structural and environmental performance.

a.

a. Plastic windows usually have tight seals that do not allow air to flow, which can cause mould formation in the interior of the building. b. Brightly coloured window shutters in Nivica.

Clear coat or pastel colours are more in keeping with traditional village aesthetics, and are therefore preferred. c. A relatively well maintained window in Kudhës, but some wooden glazing beads are missing. d. Interior view of a plastic window in Dhërmi.

Recommendations - If existing windows are beyond repair and new windows are deemed necessary, they should be made of wood and in the traditional form. You should make sure that the wood used for new windows is well seasoned,

e. Plastic imitation wood window shutters and stone tile window opening surrounds are examples of what is not recommended in the villages of the Himara region.

d.

b.

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c.

e.

ATTENTION! • DO NOT replace old wooden windows or shutters with modern alternatives made out of nontraditional materials. This negatively affects the micro-climate within the building, causing high humidity and mould formation in the walls.

• DO NOT replace original window fittings with non-traditional elements.

• DO NOT replace historical wooden windows and shutters with new ones if they are not damaged: in most cases, it is possible to restore the old ones.

and dry enough, with a moisture content no higher than 12-15 %.

- Double windows provide excellent weather, noise, and temperature insulation, and their installation is recommended.

- If the owner decides to install new double windows for better energy efficiency and noise protection, at least the outer window should correspond in form and materials to the original one.

- Windows and Doors should not prevent air exchange. Metal or plastic windows prevent air circulation in the building, especially if they are left closed for a length of time. If an adequate airflow is not maintained, mould may developed in the walls.

f. Traditional and well-maintained window in a house in Dhërmi. g. New wooden shutters in a house in Dhërmi.

h. A new wooden window with shutters in the village of Vuno, in traditional form and materials, with iron bars for security. i. The same window from inside the house.

f.

g.

h.

i.

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a.

3.6 Balconies & Verandas

b.

a. A typical balcony reconstruction of the socialist times, using concrete and steel. The small stone brackets (anëcark) are from the original traditional balcony. b. Balconies are usually small, like the one in the picture (in Dhërmi). Its use of reinforced concrete indicates it was built during socialist times. c. A veranda or kamerie of a house in Kudhës above a vaulted access to the katoi storage area on the ground floor. d. A balcony of a house of the second typology in Dhërmi.

c.

Balconies in the villages of the southern Albanian coastal region are usually small and placed in the centre of front façades on the upper level. They are up to 1 metre deep and 2 metres wide. They are often oriented towards and have a view of the sea. Normally, there is no physical connection between a balcony at the front of a house and a veranda that is often located at the side of the building.

Balconies were originally built out of wood. Unfortunately, most of the original balconies fell into disrepair or were destroyed, and were later replaced with reinforced concrete constructions. Traditional balcony railings are made out of forged or cast iron, often with decorative motifs.

Verandas are more common in houses of the first typology (Banesa me kat) (see 3. The House, page 31). They are usually located at first floor entrance of a house of this typology, and are accessed via an external stair from the ground floor level. They were originally made of stone and roofed with a wooden structure. Stairs connecting verandas with the ground floor were also originally made of stone.

During and after the socialist era, most of the original verandas were replaced with reinforced concrete structures with concrete or metal handrails, and the stone stairs accessing them were also replaced with concrete.

Challenges - Balconies are external constructions, permanently exposed to the weather.

Therefore, solutions are required for rainwater drainage, resistance to frost damage in the winter, and structural movement in extreme cold or hot weather. Wrong or no maintenance and self-made alterations or repairs to balconies can worsen these problems: cracks develop; water stays in those cracks causing bigger cracks, exposing the structure to long-time moisture problems, which can lead to structural failure and the balcony’s eventual collapse.

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3.6 Balconies & Verandas - Damage to weatherproofing at the junction between a balcony and the building it is attached to, allows the entry of moisture into the structure of the building, causing hidden and possibly serious damage.

- Owners often construct new balconies, which were not originally there, and which are often oversized, block the entire façade and might cause structural problems. Existing or new balconies are furnished with concrete parapets instead of metal railings, increasing the weight of the balcony as well as creating visual inconsistencies.

Recommendations - If a balcony is in a bad state of repair, a structural engineer needs to be called in to check the balcony’s structural stability and safety: any necessary repair work should be carried out by a specialised company.

- Do not build new balconies if there is no evidence of one having been there originally. Maintain original metal railings. Any replacement should be carried out in a lightweight construction, and in a similar way to the existing balcony (for example: using metal railing, a timber floored platform, etc.).

- Do not add concrete or masonry parapets to existing balconies.

- Carry out regular (annually) inspections of the balcony’s state of repair.

- Do not build balconies that are oversized and block the length of a façade.

New or rebuilt balconies should be similar to the traditional ones in size and proportion. Make sure that balconies have a slope that drains water away from the building.

- If you build a new balcony, make sure that it is build with a slope that drains away from the building.

a. a. A quite elaborate old balcony in Himarë Fshat in bad repair because of a lack of maintenance.

The structure is steel, and what remains of the platform is wood. b. A typical traditional balcony in Dhërmi. Steel brackets have been added to help carry the structural load. It has not been maintained and the metal parts, which should have been painted or otherwise protected, are rusting. c. An unmaintained concrete balcony that appears to be at risk of collapsing and endangering people on or beneath it. d. Drawings of typical balconies in the southern coastal region, with stone cantilever brackets, concrete platforms and metal handrails.

b.

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c.

Arched architrave (stone)

Rectangular architrave (stone) Glass panel Double leafed door

Wooden doorframe

Metal handrail

Reinforced concrete platform

Cantilever beam

Door crown Rectangular architrave (stone) Glass panel

Wooden doorframe

Iron handrail

d.

Reinforced conrete platform

Stone cantilever

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3.6 Balconies & Verandas

> Another typical balcony of the houses in the Southern region. In this case, the handrails do not have ornamental details.

˅< A new balcony in Kudhës. The structure s made of steel, while the platform is made of wood.

This construction is a good example, because it is light and fits well with the traditional appearance of the building (bottom, left) ˅> This is another good example of a typical balcony in the region. The structure is made of concrete cantilever brackets and the handrails are made out of metal (bottom, right).

a.

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ATTENTION! • DO NOT build new balconies if there is no evidence of one having been there originally, especially in Cultural Monuments or Protected Historical Centres.

• DO NOT build balconies or extend existing balconies such that they are oversized and block the length of a façade.

• DO NOT add concrete or masonry parapets to existing balconies (we recommend metal railing)

a. Different balconies and verandas on buildings in the southern coastal region. Some are more traditional than others, for example, in their use of materials, but they all are representative of the distinctive character of the region. b. A recently renovated house in Dhërmi. The balcony and its railings are in a good condition, and are an asset to the house and the village.

b.

f.

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a.

3.7 Roofs Roofs are key features defining the traditional appearance of the villages.

Every decision that changes a roof affects the image of the village as a whole.

Traditional Albanian dwellings have wooden roof structures covered with clay roof tiles. The most common roof types are either open gable (dy ujëse) or hipped (katër ujëse) with roof slopes of 20°-30°. The eaves can overhang by about 20 cm, and are closed with wooden slats or by a stone cornice at the top of the roof-supporting wall.

b.

a. Aerial view of the village of Qeparo Fshat.

(Courtesy of Joerg Daiber of Spoonfilm Medienproduktion GmbH). b. Roof eaves detail at a right angle corner of a house in Dhërmi.

Apart from the inherent mechanical properties of the timber used, the most important aspect of the roof is its design and arrangement of trusses. Where timber in large enough sections and lengths is available, such as in Albania’s southern coastal region, the choice is usually the so called queen post roof truss construction that transfers the roof load equally to the building’s load bearing outer walls. However, nowadays the so-called king post roof truss construction is frequently used. Whenever possible, roof structures are made of oak because of its strength and its large sizes. When oak is not available or suitable, pine, cypress or spruce is used. Fixings used in roof construction used to be made locally from hand-forged iron, but have been replaced by industrial products.

Historically, water drained off roofs directly to the ground at all sides of the building. In other cases, gutters and downpipes were installed and rainwater from roofs was collected, usually in cisterns (see under 3.1 Courtyards, page 38), and used for watering plants and non-potable use in the household (e.g. for toilets). These gutters were made of wood in a V-shape, or of inverted clay roof tiles.

c. Typical roof construction of a house in Dhërmi.

This example is newly built with seasoned pine wood.

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3.7 Roofs Roofing Traditional roofs have no dormers or other interruptions other than where they wrap around chimneys, which are sometimes extended from the outer walls of the building. Roof tiles are made of clay from the region and laid in the “monk-and-nun” style, without mortar. They are generally about 17-20 cm wide and 38-40 cm long, and their colour varies between ochre, sienna and reddish brown. Many houses have, however, been re-tiled with new industrially produced tiling, which does not have the same shape or colour variations as traditional tiling. This is a loss to the overall image of the village.

Maintenance

Challenges - The lack of easy access to the roof structure and the roofing hinders the inspection and maintenance of roofs.

- Wooden roof structures are prone to deterioration from moisture and insects.

Recommendations - Making openings in roofs is discouraged as not being features of traditional houses in the area. However, roof inspection is important and should be organized on a regular basis. If necessary, access to (and maintenance of) the external roofing (tiling) can be done with ladders, but access to roof structures requires another solution, such as a trap door to the roof space from the top floor ceiling.

- The roof should be inspected annually and protected using anti-parasite treatment as necessary.

-Old roof tiles can break, fall, shift their position, etc. The roof tiling should be regularly inspected, at least visually. If there are loose tiles on the roof, they can be relaid.

- Old roof tiles can be reused for a new roof (the tiles have first to be checked

a.

a. Picture of the renovated houses in Dhërmi. The roofs have been reconstructed using traditional elements and shapes. b. A typical roof construction of a house in Vuno.

This is an old, but well-maintained roof structure without a ceiling covering it. c. Cross section of a typical roof structure of the region, showing all its elements. d. Longitudinal section of a typical roof together with the first floor spaces.

b.

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Ridge tile Mortar Tiles (cover & pan) Wood batten 2.5cm (2cm distance in between)

Ridge beam

Rafter Transverse beam

Collar beam

Wooden wall plate

Queen post Primary beam

Limestone wall

c.

Tiles (cover & pan)

Wood batten 2.5cm (2cm distance in between)

Ridge tile

Rafter

Mortar

Transverse beam Chimney

Fireplace

Primary beam

Queen post

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3.7 Roofs for cracks). When reusing old tiles, a useful old tradition is to check each tile for strength by listening to the sound it makes when it’s tapped.

- The maintenance and repair of a traditional roof can often be complicated and expensive. Therefore, professional advice should be sough.

- Do not replace old tiles if they still perform their function. Replace damaged tiles with new ones that respect the traditional shape, material and colour of the originals.

Newly Constructed Roofs

Challenges - Residents often replace roof structures or roofing with structures, proportions, shapes, and materials that do not match those of traditional roofs and that can cause damage to the supporting house structure.

- Tile laying methods used with new roofs are sometimes inappropriate: for example cement or coloured mortar is used to bind tiles together.

- Modern cornices under roof eaves are sometimes not traditional in form, dimensions or materials.

- Replacing pitched roofs with flat concrete roofs (which are not traditional), often results in problems with thermal performance and dampness issues, and maintenance is constantly required.

- Ridge tiling (kulmore) and the roof face (faqe) are often not differentiated, which causes aesthetic and sometimes technical problems.

Recommendations - Roof tiles should match traditional tiles in form, material consistency, and colour (adobe or clay colour).

-Roof structures (e.g. trusses) should be made out of seasoned oak, pine, cypress or spruce wood with a maximum of 12-20% moisture content.

- The pitch of a roof should be between 20-30° (local craftsmen currently

b.

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a.

a. A characteristic hipped roof of the region in Dhërmi. The tiles differ slightly in colour because they are hand-made and have been exposed to the sun over time. b. A flat concrete roof built during the socialist era to replace and old traditional pitched roof (in Palasë). c. A new roof in Kudhës. The clay tiles used are traditional, but the lime mortar used to bind the tiles is coloured, which is not typical in the region.

c.

build roofs at a pitch of 23-28°).

- In repairing roofs with monk-and-nun roof tiles, nun tiles can be new without affecting the visual appearance of the roof because they are the less visible lower layer in this type of tiling arrangement.

- Flat roofs should not be built instead of pitched ones. If an existing concrete flat roof is to be removed, make sure that no harm is done to the supporting wall structure. If the removals would have an effect on the walls, simply “mask” or cover the flat roof with a traditional style roof.

- Do not use corrugated metal sheets for roofing.

- Do not introduce or install non-traditional elements, such as dormer windows, metal eaves fascias, etc.

- Do not use non-traditional roof shapes, such as mansards, gambrel, etc. If mortar is needed to bind the tiles, use lime mortar only and apply it carefully in order not to disturb the appearance of the roof.

d. d. Detail of a roof in Qeparo. Wooden beams, parts of the roof construction, are projecting from the façade. e. Typical roof eaves in a house in Dhërmi. Wooden slats are used to close the eaves and gaps are filled in with plaster so that water, wind, insects or other unwanted creatures do not enter the interior roof space. f. A stone cornice at the top of a roof supporting wall of a house in Vuno. Wall cornices are typical in the region, especially in houses of the second typology. They are usually built with stone, but bricks are also sometimes used.

e.

Roof Features

Challenges - Modern roofs have gutters and downpipes, but they are sometimes made with inappropriate materials, such as brightly coloured plastic.

- Modern, usually high tiled or metal chimneys are a problem.

- Water tanks on roofs add load to the roof structure and disrupt the visual appearance of the houses and the village.

- Solar panels placed on roofs are conspicuous and therefore disturb the appearance of the village.

Recommendations - Chimneys should not be removed if in good condition. Modern metal chimney caps should be avoided. Traditional chimneys don’t usually have chimney pots.

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3.7 Roofs

Tiles Lime mortar Stone tile

Stone shaft

a.

c. a. Typical chimney made of clay tiles and mortar on a roof in LukovĂŤ. b. A recently reconstructed roof in Ilias. Non traditional (in terms of colour and shape) clay tiles bonded with mortar have been used. The chimneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s metal extension is not traditional: such additions are not recommended. c. Typical chimney construction with 3 or 4 clay tiles placed upright to form a funnel at the top of the chimney shaft.

b.

d. Front and side view of chimney construction in which a number of tiles are placed upright to from a triangle, upon which is placed a horizontal tile that hold the arrangement together and protects it.

Ridge tile

Tile (cover & pan) Ridge tile Lime mortar

Tile (cover & pan) Lime mortar

Stone frame

d.

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ATTENTION! • DO NOT replace old tiles with tiles that do not have the same properties as the old ones: the roof might become heavier and damage the building’s structure • DO NOT replace old tiles if they still perform their function.

• DO NOT use gutters or downpipes made of plastic.

• DO NOT use corrugated metal sheets for roofing.

• DO NOT introduce or install non-traditional features, such as dormer windows or other openings, or metal eaves, fascias in the roof.

• DO NOT use non-traditional roof shapes, such as mansards, gabled, gambrel, etc.

• DO NOT remove existing chimneys if in good condition.

• DO NOT destroy old roofs. Repair them if possible.

e. In many cases, when constructing roofs, builders use large amounts of wooden elements (posts, beams, battens, etc.), which are sometimes are necessary, and can increase the roof’s weight, causing it to collapse. This photograph shows the old roof of a house in Piqeras, which has relatively few wooden elements, and has never had any problems. The roof tiles can be seen through the wooden roofing battens; note that mortar has not been used to keep the tiles in place.

- Water tanks and solar panels should not be placed in conspicuous positions on roofs, but in the courtyard if possible. They should be well hidden from view, so as not to disturb the appearance of the village, but also positioned to serve their purpose effectively.

- Gutters should not be added to houses that are Cultural Monuments.

- Gutters and downpipes should be made of galvanized metal or copper.

They should have minimal impact on the appearance of the façade - Lead gutters and downpipes are not encouraged. They are expensive and contaminate the water that flows in them.

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a.

3.8 Interiors

b.

a. Ceiling of a house in Lukova made of wood with an octagonal decorated rosette in the centre.

The ceiling typical for traditional dwellings in the region. b. The fireplace in the main room of a house in Vuno. c. A katoi area of a house in Qeparo. The space is vaulted and the stonework is rough and not plastered. In some cases, the katoi walls are painted with lime, which also acts a disinfectant.

Rooms The interiors of dwellings in this region usually have similar characteristics.

In the past, houses had more functions than now, and the types and variety of functions were related to the family’s social and economic situation: the wealthier the family, the more functions a house had. In earlier times, the house had private domestic functions, and formal spaces for receiving guests and celebrations, the ground floor was, and often still is used to stable livestock, as a storage area, and sometimes as a place for water cisterns, while the first floor contains the domestic living areas. The storage area might contain a mill. The ground floor usually consists of a single space with direct access from the outside, but there are also cases when this area consists of two rooms, each served by a separate door leading from a shared ‘lobby’.

A characteristic of dwellings in the coastal region is that they contain rooms which are named according to their function: the ‘guest room’, the ‘fire room’, and the storage cellar, known locally as a katoi. The ‘fire room’ is poorly lit and equipped primarily with a fireplace. In some cases, the fire room is also known as the ‘bread room’ where bread is made. This room is characterized by niches (kamare) built into the wall, which are used as storage spaces, cupboards, shelving etc. The ‘guest room’ is, as its name implies, used for welcoming and accommodating guests. It is usually equipped with a fireplace flanked by niches, which, like those in the fire room, are used for storage.

It is also the most adorned room in the house. All the finishes, fixtures and built-in fittings are made of wood. The ceiling is also made of wood, and in its centre, there is often a rosette with floral or geometric motifs.

Sometimes, guests are provided with an additional room, which is used as a guest bedroom.

d. A katoi area converted into a bedroom in a guest-house in Qeparo. This is a good example of how these spaces can be adapted for other functions. Picture courtesy of Herve Loiselet.

c.

d.

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3.8 Interior Inside surfaces of masonry walls When it’s not panelled with wood, as it often is in guest rooms, the inner surfaces of the walls in the first floor living quarters are plastered with lime.

In the ground floor or cellar (katoi) areas, the walls are usually not plastered.

Interior stud walls with çatma: lath and plaster surfaces Interior walls are often a late addition in traditional dwellings in this region.

These walls are usually modular wood-framed skeleton constructions (stud walls), with lath and plaster surfaces, using lime or adobe (qerpiç) rendering.

The structure of the wood framed skeleton is made of hard wooden elements (usually oak), placed to form a supportive lattice, which is filled with smaller wooden rails made from lower quality wood (e.g. pine).

Wet Spaces Traditionally, wet spaces were located outside the house. Cooking areas (kitchens) were usually located in the courtyard, close or attached to the house, while the toilet was always placed further away. Since the 1990s, owners have put buildings’ wet spaces inside or connected with the house.

New Constructions and Renovation Works

Challenges - The lack of knowledge of new materials and techniques for the renovation, preservation, modernization, etc. of historical building elements is a problem.

- Original building elements, such as fireplaces, are often destroyed and new ones are built. In some cases, the positions of fireplaces are changed.

- Guest room ceilings, which are historically valuable building elements, are deteriorating and becoming damaged due to a lack of maintenance.

- Alterations, using inappropriate materials such as heavy concrete, are made to the house to make space for internal kitchens and bathrooms, which

b.

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a. a. Typical lath and plaster (çatma) interior wall surface. The close-up picture shows the skeleton made up of wood branches and lime plaster coating. b. A new roof construction in a house in Himara.

The main beams are reused from another house in the region, while the other elements are made out of seasoned wood purchased from the local markets. c. A traditional guest room furnishing in a house in Dhërmi. The niches have wooden doors and all the fittings are built with wood. The house is a first category Cultural Monument and has highly adorned and well preserved interior elements that are difficult to find elsewhere, such as minder, sergjen, etc.

c.

are added to the building and/or its interior without respect to positioning, access, the building’s appearance, location, the views, etc.

- Accommodating the necessary pipe work, cabling and fittings for new internal kitchens and bathrooms within the building’s existing structure, might affect the structure’s load bearing capacity.

d. d. A typical interior staircase found in a house in Ilias is made of wood that has been well maintained over the years. e. A typical fire-place of a house in Lukovë.

Fireplaces are central features of the interiors of traditional dwellings in the region and are usually to be found in the guest rooms or main rooms of the house. f. The stone wall of a living room of a house in Vuno. The adequate technique of fugatimi has been used, and the wall niches (kamare) on the sides of the chimney have been preserved, continuing to serve their initial function, that of objects’ display. g. Pictures of well preserved kamare with wooden leaves in the region.

Recommendations - Preserve the existing fireplaces, especially in the guest room. Do not build new fireplaces or modify existing fireplaces (with marble or similarly inappropriate tiling). Do not change the position of a fireplace in a room.

- Preserve the wall niches (kamare). Do not fill them in or cover them over.

- Floors in living spaces should be made of wood because, like the stonework, wooden floors are traditional elements of historical houses. (Concrete floors can be problematic in terms of weight, thermal movement, insulation etc.).

- If necessary, flooring in spaces that were not originally made of wood (e.g. cellars), cement, epoxy, or resin can be used instead of wood. Once again, consult with a specialist because these materials might damage the building’s fabric or structure.

- Interior walls should be built using lightweight materials (e.g. drywalling, sine layer brick or block-work).

- Existing timber staircases should be maintained but if there is a need for replacements, use similar or lightweight constructions.

Materials

Challenges - Old, traditional materials (particularly those in a building’s interior) often require a lot of care and effort to maintain, keep clean, etc.

- It is often difficult to find good quality seasoned wood in the market.

f.

e.

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3.8 Interior Recommendations - Residents should take care of interior wooden elements.

- Oiling wood is an old technique for preserving wood internally as well as externally, but the linseed oil traditionally used only penetrates about 5 mm into the surface of the wood, leaving the central part untreated. Nowadays, there is a range of natural wood treatments available that go further to preserve and protect wood.

Other

Challenges - Heating can be a problem in winter in houses that are occupied throughout the year.

- Cooling systems used in the villages often include air-conditions units, which are often inadequate to fully solve the problem of high temperatures during summer months.

Recommendations - The traditional and historical way of cooling the house during the summer months was by opening the north-facing windows. Most of the openings to these north-facing windows have been closed in over the years and are usually no longer visible. If there is any evidence of these window openings, owners are encouraged to reopen them. The cross ventilation that is then available, although not optimal during the winter, provides cooling in the summer, thus saving costs for electric fans or air conditioning.

- If feasible and affordable, central heating should be installed to encourage people to live in the villages during the cold winter months.

- Connections to fittings for new internal wet spaces including supply connections, waste pipes, vents and ducts, should be accessible for repairs, but should be positioned discreetly, and if necessary, hidden behind panels.

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a. a. A first floor room in a guest-house in Piqeras.

Wooden elements are used to divide rooms from one another. This a good way to reduce weight on the structure and add value to the house. b. Interior of a guest-house in Qeparo. A wooden mezzanine floor is accessed via a straight metal staircase. Courtesy of Herve Loiselet. c. A light construction interior wall (รงatma technique) of a house in Vuno, built with wooden battens joined with mortar. Previously, the wall was plastered on both faces, but due to deterioration of the plaster the owner decided to remove it, leaving the wooden elements exposed.

In order to prevent cracking of lime plaster, aged lime is preferred due its highly bonding abilities that act as a glue and stick to the surface where it is applied.

c.

ATTENTION! • DO NOT remove original wooden panelling or lath and plaster stud walls or their plaster surfaces unless absolutely necessary (in cases of mould, dampness, etc.) If renewal is necessary, use original or matching materials and techniques.

• DO NOT remove existing fireplaces or build new fireplaces using inappropriate materials or finishes.

• DO NOT fill in or cover wall niches (kamare).

• DO NOT use heavy concrete walls to create new interior spaces.

d. Typical floor paving of a house in Himara.

Seasoned and treated pine is used for the floorings and skirting boards of the house. The difference in levels is due to the installation of under-floor heating in parts of the space. e. Traditionally, carpets and rugs (qilims) are used to cover the floors of houses. These textile elements, usually made out of wool despite being important during the winter months for increased temperature comfort, also act as acoustic insulators, so as to reduce the noise coming from the wooden floors. In addition, they are also very important in preventing physical damages to the wooden elements, therefore increasing the lifespan of the wooden paved floors. f. A combination of old and new wood used to make a new floor deck (top of the photo) in a house in Himarë Fshat. Light-wood constructions do not impose damaging loads on the house structure and fit well with the stonework walls.

d.

e.

f.

the house

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Glossary

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Exposed slightly protruding stone elements which are built for decoration or defensive purposes. They also serve as places to put flower pots.

Anëcark

Typical Albanian traditional dwelling, where the ground floor is lower in height and serves as a space for livestock, while the first floor is used for living accommodation.

Banesë me Kat

Typical Albanian traditional dwelling, a sub-typology of Banesa me kat (previous entry above), but in this case, the first floor is part over the ground level and part at ground level since building is located on steeply sloping terrain.

Banesë me Gjysmë Kat

Characteristic dwelling of the Riviera region, developed in the mid-19th century, with the ground floor used as a living area instead of stables for cattle as previously. This dwelling has a symmetrical composition.

Banesa e Bregut

A local term for window shutters.

Baxhukë

A longitudinal wooden rail, which is placed within a stonework wall to strengthen the stonework.

Brez

A dead-end street, especially one ending in a circular turnaround.

Cul-de-sac

Open gable roof: a roof that slopes in two directions and is open at the ends.

Çati dy-ujëse

Hipped roof: a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, and that has no gables or other vertical sides.

Çati katër-ujëse

Thin walls constructed of wooden rods or laths and mortar, and coated with plaster.

Çatma

Drinking fountain: they were built along roads but also in the centre of villages or towns.

Çezmë

Dry stack construction: A building method by which walls are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together.

Ndërtim në të thatë

Vertical small openings on the walls of traditional dwellings used for defensive purposes.

Frëngji

Mortar technique in which the stones of a wall are partially covered at the joints and in the corners.

Fugatim

Mortar made of pulverized powder mixed with condensed lime.

Horasan

Wall space or niche used to store household objects.

Kamare

Term used to describe four types of constructions: 1. towers (kulla); 2. tower attached to the house; 3. terrace-like arched architrave constructions; 4. terraces positioned on top of entrance gates.

Kamerie

A cellar or storeroom on the ground floor of a traditional dwelling where animals and agricultural products are kept: a pantry and/or a stable.

Katua, Katoi

King post strut roof truss

Krua Kulmore MadĂŤm Oda

A king post has a central vertical post that connects the horizontal beam at the base of a truss to the apex at the top of the truss. It is the simplest form of truss in that it is constructed of the fewest number of parts.

Decorated structure containing a fountain.

Ridge tiling on the roof.

Local term for stone quarry.

The main room of the traditional dwelling used for welcoming guests.

Qemer

The stone arch positioned over the doors, gates and windows in traditional dwellings.

Queen post roof truss

A queen post roof truss has two vertical ties connecting the horizontal beam at the base of the truss to the truss rafters (and the tie beam to which they in turn are attached). A queen post truss can span greater distances than a king post truss.

Rajoni i Bregut / Bregu

The term used for the Riviera Region before the 1990s. However, this terms is also used today amongst the locals.

Rosette

A term used in this publication for the central element of a ceiling, which is carefully crafted and decorated.

Sergjen

Narrow wooden shelf attached to the wall to display household objects.

Sofat

A place to sit in front of the entrance gate to a house, usually consisting of a large stone protruding from a stonework wall.

SterĂŤ

Deposit for collecting rainwater.

Acronyms ADF CHwB ICM GIZ ISDSCR programme MIE MoH NTPA RDA RDNC

Albanian Development Fund Cultural Heritage without Borders Institute of Cultural Monuments Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammensrbeit (GIZ) GmbH Integrated Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy Municipality of Himara National Territorial Planning Agency Regional Development Agency Regional Directorate of National Culture

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Design Guidelines for the City of Lviv– Advice and rules for the preservation of historical buildings” Lviv City Council and GIZ 2011 (Ukraine); find the document in German and in Ukrainian under: http:// www.urban-project.lviv.ua/en/index E. Riza, Ndërtimet Fshatare në Labëri, 8 Nëntori, Tiranë1984.

E. Riza, in Monumentet 19, Arkitektura e banesës popullore në zonën e “bregut të detit” (Labëri), Tiranë, 3-27.

E. Riza, P. Thomo, in Anguelova, R. et al Architecture traditionnelle des Pays Balkaniques (Atene), Albanie, 1990, 19-82.

E. Riza, in Monumentet 15-16, Banesa popullore në fshatrat e rrethit të Vlorës, 185-220, Tiranë 1978.

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E. Bakalova, E. Buculei, O. Etinhof, R. C. Campanati, M. Garidis, A. Stojakovic, P. Thomo, Multilingual Illustrated Dictionary of Byzantine Architecture and Sculpture Terminology, Crete University Press, Herakleion 2010.

E. Tsakanika, in ICOMOS IWC - XVI International Symposium, Byzantine and Post – Byzantine Historical Timber Roofs in Greece. Typical Failures, Misunderstanding of their Structural Behaviour, Restoration Proposals, Florence, Venice, 2007.

F. Pashako , A. B. Menghini, Architettura Domestica Tradizionale Albanese XVI –XIX Secolo. Riconoscimento dei Principi Insediativi e Costruttivi della Casa di Berat. Per un codice Compositivo Contemporano.

Polytechnic of Bari– Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Ingegneria civile e dell’Architettura (ICAR), Dottorato di Ricerca in Progettazione Architettonica per i Paesi del Mediterraneo- XXV ciclo, January 2010 – December 2012.

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I.Papanikolla, P.Nishani, Gj. Çaçani, S. Çoçoli, M.Kabili, Elemente të ndërtesës dhe teknologjia e tyre, Shtrypshkronja e Re, Tiranë 1990.

M. Mitrojorgji, Duke lexuar hapësirën, sintaksa e elementeve arkitektonike, UFO Press, Tiranë 2008.

V. Shtylla, in Tradita ndërtimore në Shqipëri, Ujësjellës dhe çezma në vendin tonë, Institute of Cultural Monuments, 8 Nëntori, Tiranë 1981, 3643.

National Agency of Protected Areas (NAPA): http://akzm.gov.al/ index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=155:national-park-ofllogara&Itemid=435&lang=us Albanian Photography: http://www.elsie.de/index.htm Herve Loiselet Interior Design: http://hlinterior.com/

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Acknowledgements Special thanks to the following individuals for their support: Rineldi Xhelilaj, RDNC Vlorë, for his continuous availability for consultations and willingness to support with knowledge and share information.

ISDSCR Team: Hans-Jürgen Cassens Valbona Koçi Dhurata Gazulli Aurora Xheka Eneida Berisha

Arta Dollani, Director ICM Marsela Plyku, ICM Joli Mitrojorgji, ICM Mirela Jano, ICM Arben Spaho, ICM Orgest Feimi, RDNC/Vlorë Gentian Stratobërdha, MoH Maryana Kukhlevska Annemarie Rothe

Adelina Greca, NTPA; Alba Canaj, MIE; Alma Balliu, MSR; Andi Prifti, RDA4; Andi Ahmati; Arlind Dervishaj, MIE; Boralda Bendaj; Dorian Tytymçe; Efijeni Kokëdhima; Egda Rapo; Elena Mamani, CHwB; Elis Halili; Eltjana Shkreli, GO2; Elvi Kola; Endrit Fifa; Eni Ajdini; Eugen Zizaj; Fatjon Saliu; Ferdinand Dhrami, MoH; Fjona Zanaliu; Florian Nepravishta, FAU; Genci Samimi; Gentian Stratobërdha, MoH; Gilserena Mirashi; Herve Loiselet; Irola Andoni, NTPA; Ilva Gjuzi, MIE; Jorgo Goro, MoH; Jonida Gjoka; Jutta Benzenberg; Klodiana Demaj; Kreshnik Merxhani; Laura Ferati, MSR; Pirro Thomo; Pirro Vaso; Shpresa Smajli; Silvia Azizaj; Vilma Picari; Valjano Cama;* Village Chiefs: Aleks Marko, Dhërmi; Artan Bala, Vuno; Azem Gjoca, Borsh; Ridvan Hajdini, Borsh; Gorgo Gjomeno, Ilias; Odhiese Dhimolea, Palasë; Kiço Vlashi, Shën Vasil; Niko Jovani, Kudhës; Niqiforo Butsi; Lukovë; Stefan Kokëdhima, Qeparo. *Individuals present in the workshops organized in the framework of the Guidelines, in Tirana and Dhërmi.

We express gratitude to the residents of the villages, who were kind enough to provide us with their time and information: Aleko, Vasil Guma, Janaqi, Sokrati, Zotëria nga Kuçi, Pandeliu, Nëna Fillo, Nëna Vasiliqia, Lefteri Dhrami; Thodhori Kashta, Pirro Konomi, Thanas Çaçi, Pilo Çobani; Kristofor Gjomemo, Mësuesi nga Tirana, Zoti Lluka; Jorgo Bitri, Dy nënat, Familja e Bejazes, Irini Memi; Qiriako Prifti, Petri Konomi, Elefteri Mërtiri; Zotëria nga Kudhësi; Luljeta Çipa, Ndreko Lapa; Pranvera Andoni, Nëna Andoni, Thoma Koça, Tomi, Nëna Vasilika, Arjan Konomi, Stefan Andoni, Nëna Elvira; Spiro Leka, Theodhori Leka, Vasiliqi Zhupa, Nëna Dafina, Andon Marko, Aleks Marko; Egda Rrapo, Sokrati, Vasili, Andrea Bitri, Zotëria nga Piluri; Zonja Zana, Dhimo Gjoni.

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Imprint Coordinator “Integrated Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region” programme GIZ Albania Hans-Jürgen Cassens / GIZ Country Director; Valbona Koçi, Dhurata Gazulli/ ISDSCR Programme Coordinators Coordinator for the “Practical Conservation Guidelines for Traditional Buildings in Himara Coastal Villages”: Valbona Koçi Experts: Iris Gleichmann, Frida Pashako Authors Frida Pashako Iris Gleichmann Erisa Nesimi (assistant to the Experts) Jona Osmani (assistant to the Experts) Editing Ben Kern (EN) Iris Gleichmann (EN) Saemira Pino (AL) Erisa Nesimi & Eneida Berisha (Translation) Layout Erisa Nesimi Jona Osmani Graphical Materials Jona Osmani Erisa Nesimi Mirjana Pali Arjon Kadillari Eneida Berisha Source: Archive of Institute of Cultural Monuments and Literature Photography Armand Habazaj Erisa Nesimi Jona Osmani Joerg Daiber (Spoonfilm Medienproduktion GmbH) Published/Printed by Company Name, June 2018 Address Contact Information GIZ is responsible for the content of this publication Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Registered offices Bonn and Eschborn, Germany Integrated Sustainable Development of the Southern Coastal Region programme Rr. Skënderbej 21/1, Tirana, Albania T +355 42 230 414 https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/39273.html

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On behalf of the: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) In Collaboration with: Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy (MIE) Ministry of Culture Institute of Cultural Monuments (ICM) Regional Directorate of National Culture (RDNC) Municipality of Himara Š Copyright with GIZ, June 2018

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