LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Tirana’s Skyline & Dajti Mountain // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 2: Urban Water Cycle // Source: Author, 2021 11 12

Figure 3: Methodologies Applied and the Research Process // Source: Author, 2021 // Based on: Donelson, 2016 Figure 4: Copenhagen Cloudburst Plan-Retention Area // Source: Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl, 2014 Figure 5: Copenhagen Cloudburst Plan-Toolkit // Source: Oppla, n. d. a Figure 6: Milan’s Vertical Forest // Source: Oppla, n.d. b Figure 7: Skanderbeg Square, Tirana // Source: Dujardin, 2019 15

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Figure 8: Timeline of Tirana’s urban expansion through years // Source: Author, 2021 // Based on Spaan, (2018) Figure 9: The Interlocking Crisis of the State of Infrastructure and Public Spaces in Tirana After the Fall of Communism // Source: Bufi, 2019 Figure 10: Köppen Climate Types of Albania // Source: Wikipedia, n.d. Figure 11: Comparison of the Average Precipitation Value with the Precipitation of the Last Ten Years in Tirana // Source: Author 2021 // Based on Municipality of Tirana, 2015; IGEWE, 2020 Figure 12: Annual Rainfall of Tirana (1931-2020) // Source: Author 2021 23

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// Based on Municipality of Tirana, 2015; IGEWE, 2020 Figure 13: Changes in Annual Precipitation of Tirana (1931-2020) // Source: Author 2021

29 // Based on Municipality of Tirana, 2015; IGEWE, 2020 29 Figure 14: Urban Water Cycle in Tirana // Source: Author, 2021 // Based on TWSSU, 2020 33 Figure 15: Section a-a // Source: Author, 2021 // Based on Vako, 2014 34 Figure 16: Geology Map of Tirana (Types of Soils) // Source: Author, 2021 // Based on Vako, 2014 35 Figure 17: Hydrogeology Map of Tirana // Source: Author, 2021 // Based on Vako, 2014 35 Figure 18: Climate change legislation hierarchy in Albania // Source: Author, 2021 38 Figure 19: Skanderbeg Square, Tirana // Source: Dujardin, 2019 39 Figure 20: Skanderbeg Square, Tirana // Source: Dujardin, 2019 45 Figure 21: Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard from Mother Teresa Square // Source: Author, 2021 46 Figure 22: The Square in Front of the Sport Area - Pictured from Mother Teresa Square 49 // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 23: Urban, Natural and WSUD Water Balance // Source: Author, 2021 51 Figure 24: Concept diagram for WSUD // Source: CIRIA 2013 // Graphic: Author, 2021 51 Figure 25: The WSUD Toolkit // Source: Author, 2021 53 Figure 26: An Example of Green-Active Roof in Rotterdam 54 // Source: Rotterdam Innovation City, n.d. Figure 27: A Green Facade Combinate with Green Roof // Source: semper green wall, n.d. 55 Figure 28: Tanner Springs Park, Portland, Oregon // Source: Ramboll Studio Dreiseitl, 2010 56

Figure 29: Detention pond in Ohlsdorf, Hamburg // Source: Author, 2019 Figure 30: A Drainage Gutter in a Sealed Plaza // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 31: An Infiltration Trench Integrated in a Park Area // Source: Berges du Vauziron, 2009 57 58 59

Figure 32: Stormwater Tree Pits Integrated in an Urban Plaza – Montreal // Source: Webb, 2013 60 Figure 33: Depressed stormwater Median During a Rain Event // Source: NACTO, 2017b 61 Figure 34: Stormwater Curb Extension in Portland’s Central Eastside Industrial District 62 // Source: Green Works, n.d. Figure 35: Bioswale in the Ohlsdorf District, Hamburg // Source: Author, 2019 63 Figure 36: Sankt Annæ Plads in Copenhagen - Cloudburst Street // Source: State of Green, n. d. 64 Figure 37: A Raingarden in a Depressed Green Area Along a Car Road – Melbourne 65 // Source: Volkening, 2017 Figure 38: Flow-Through Planters On the Campus of Portland State University 66 // Source: Blackburn, 2008 Figure 39: Permeable paving integrated with landscape design – Barcelona 67 // Source: Landscape Architecture Built, 2020 Figure 40: Green stop in Bialystok in Poland // Source: Jakowiak, 2019 68 Figure 41: Oasis of freshness sky cooling installed on the Place Carpeaux – Paris 69 // Source: Engie Solutions, 2021 Figure 42: Elbasani Street 77 Source: Author, 2021 73 Figure 43: Orthophoto of Downtown, Tirana // Source: ASIG, 2018 75 Figure 44: Orthophoto of Focus Area // Source: ASIG, 2018 77 Figure 45: Distribution of Surfaces, Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 78 Figure 46: Figure-Ground and Topographic Map // Source: Author, 2021 79 Figure 47: The Existing Green Coverage and Trees Map // Source: Author, 2021 80 Figure 48: The Existing Street Network Map // Source: Author, 2021 81 Figure 49: The Distribution of Functions Map // Source: Author, 2021 82 Figure 50: The Altimetry Map // Source: Author, 2021 83 Figure 51: The Typology of Green Areas // Source: Author, 2021 84 Figure 52: Green Roof and Green Areas Potential // Source: Author, 2021 85 Figure 53: The Share of Hardscape and Softscape // Source: Author, 2021 86 Figure 54: The Existing Sewage Network // Source: Author 2021 // Based on TWSSC, 2021 87 Figure 55: Bajram Curri Boulevard // Source: Author, 2021 89 Figure 56: Bllok district - Sami Frasheri Street // Source: Author, 2021 90 Figure 57: Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard Flooded // Source: Periskopi, 2018 90 Figure 58: Concrete Banks of Lana River // Source: Author, 2021 90 Figure 59: Mother Teresa Square // Source: Author, 2021 90 Figure 60: Bar-Cafe in Blloku District // Source: VisitTirana, n. d. 91 Figure 61: Entrance of Blloku District // Source: Author, 2021 91 Figure 62: Art Installation in one of the Parks // Source: Author, 2021 91 Figure 63: Bridge Over Lana River Connecting Bllok With the Center // Source: Author, 2021 91 Figure 64: Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard // Source: Author, 2021 92 Figure 65: Mustafa Matohiti Street // Source: Author, 2021 92 Figure 66: Vaso Pasha Street // Source: Author, 2021 92 Figure 67: One Way Street - Neighborhood Level // Source: Author, 2021 93 Figure 68: Underground Retail Activity // Source: Author, 2021 93 Figure 69: Mother Teresa Square // Source: Author, 2021 93 Figure 70: Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard // Source: Trespasser on earth, n.d. 93 Figure 71: An Open Parking Area in a Residential Block // Source: Author, 2021 93 Figure 72: Tirana During a Rainevent // Source: Author, 2021 94

Figure 73: Lana River after a Rainevent // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 74: Sami Frashëri Street // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 75: Active Basemenet / Sami Frashëri Street // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 76: Ex Dictator’s Villa, Main Entrance // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 77: Blocked Drain / Blloku District // Source: Author, 2021 94 94 94 94 95

Figure 78: Accumulated Water in the Sidewalk // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 79: Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 80: Blocked Drain - Damaged Sidewalk // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 81: Blloku’s Streets After Rain // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 82: Blocked Drain // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 83: Damaged Sidewalk / Blloku District // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 84: Sub-Catchment Areas // Source: Author 2021 // Based on TWSSC, 2021 Figure 85: Distribution of Surfaces, Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 Figure 86: Distribution of Surfaces, Proposal // Source: Author, 2021

95 95 95 95Figur 95 95 97 99 99 Figure 87: The Transformation Program for All Focus Area // Source: Author 2021 75 Figure 88: The Transformation Program for Sub-Catchment Area 1 & 4 // Source: Author 2021 110 Figure 89: Square In Front of The Sport Arena // Source: Author, 2021 112 Figure 90: Square In Front of The Sport Arena // Source: Author, 2021 112 Figure 91: Section 1-1 // Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 113 Figure 92: Section 1-1 // Proposal // Source: Author, 2021 113 Figure 93: Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard From the Prime Minister’s Office // Source: Author, 2021 114 Figure 94: Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard, Viewing Polytechnic University 114 // Source: Author, 2021; Redford, 2009 Figure 95: Section 2-2 // Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 115 Figure 96: Section 2-2 // Proposal // Source: Author, 2021 115 Figure 97: Visualization of the Revitalization Project of the Pyramid // Source: MVRDV 116 Figure 98: Pyramid of Tirana, Aerial Drone Footage // Source: Hoffer, n. d. 116 Figure 99: Section 3-3 // Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 117 Figure 100: Section 3-3 // Proposal // Source: Author, 2021 117 Figure 101: Lana River & Bajram Curri Boulevard // Source: Nathan, 2012 118 Figure 102: Section 4-4 // Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 119 Figure 103: Section 4-4 // Proposal // Source: Author, 2021 119 Figure 104: The Transformation Program for a Densely, Mixed-Use Block 120 // Sub-Catchment Area 2 // Source: Author 2021 // Based on TWSSC, 2021 Figure 105: Orthophoto of Pjeter Bogdani Street // Source: Author, 2021 121 Figure 106: Orthophoto of Abdyl Frasheri Street // Source: Author, 2021 121 Figure 107: Pjeter Bogdani Street // Source: Author, 2021 122 Figure 108: Pjeter Bogdani Street // Source: Author, 2021 122 Figure 109: Section 5-5 // Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 123 Figure 110: Section 5-5 // Proposal // Source: Author, 2021 123 Figure 111: Abdyl Frasheri Street // Source: Author, 2021; Wikimapia, n.d. 124 Figure 112: Abdyl Frasheri Street // Source: Author, 2021; Wikimapia, n.d. 124 Figure 113: Section 6-6 // Existing Situation // Source: Author, 2021 125 Figure 114: Section 6-6 // Proposal // Source: Author, 2021 125 Figure 115: Tirana’s Skyline After a Rain Event // Source: Author, 2021 127 Figure 116: Graffiti Art in the Streets of Tirana // Source: Author, 2021 131

Cover Photo: Bajram Curri Boulevard // Source: Nathan, 2012 // Edited by Author, 2021