January 27, 2020

‍

ZA has partnered with local Tirana-based firm Varka to contribute to the Albanian rebuild effort with designs for two new mixed-use neighborhoods to be built at heavily damaged sites within the earthquake-afflicted Albanian city of Krujë. The project is being commissioned by the National Territorial Planning Agency of Albania (AKPT), in cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Culture and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. The masterplan will provide 110,000 sf of facilities for housing, education, healthcare, commerce, and recreation to house approximately 700 citizens displaced by the November 2019 earthquake.

‍

Note: Prior to ZA being officially commissioned by AKPT, Peter Zuroweste (PZ) worked with the Albanian government as a representative of Dutch Architecture firm Mecanoo. With Mecanoo's support, PZ visited Albania in December 2019 - January 2020 to collaborate with representatives of various Albanian agencies to investigate damaged sites, develop initial reconstruction concepts, and strategize phases for demolition and construction. This initial phase (see images below) was completed as a humanitarian pro bono contribution from Mecanoo to the Albanian reconstruction effort, and was completed by PZ with the mentorship of Mecanoo's Creative Director Francine Houben.