Tirana National Theatre: chronicle of an announced demolition

ABSTRACT

Tirana National Theatre was demolished on 17 May 2020. For the previous eighty years and up to that moment, it had maintained its public and societal function, documenting the changes of twentieth-century Albanian history. The Theatre was inaugurated in 1938, during the Italian Protectorate, as part of the Italian-Albanian Circolo Scanderbeg, a multifunctional complex conceived for entertainment as well as for Fascist propaganda. The construction, by the Italian company PATER, used a prefabricated system that well-exemplified the new building technologies and material research developed under the Fascist autarchy restrictions. This paper deals with the construction history of this building approaching questions around fabrics which significance is neglected in favour of new developments. Even if time-specific, architecture is often characterized by a lifespan that is longer if compared to its original construction purpose. Hence, despite the denial of any possible conservation or reuse, the Theatre’s cultural resilience and architectural, historic, and societal significance will continue to reverberate in the void created by its demolition. Unpretentiously, this paper honours the memory of a disappeared twentieth-century architecture, which ambiguous protection history was overcome by a much more sincere guardianship by the civil society and conservation community.

KEYWORDS:

• Tirana National Theatre
• Albania
• twentieth century
• heritage
• conservation
• cultural resilience

Acknowledgements

This work is dedicated to the collective memory of the Teatri Kombëtar and anyone who shared its protection cause. The article further develops the contribution submitted to the International Conference on Architecture and Urban Design (ICAUD), held in Tirana, Albania, on 24-26 October 2019, and published in August 2021 as chapter of the book: Yunitsyna A., Hysa A., Manahasa E., Naselli F., Manahasa O.D., Dervishi S. (eds) Current Challenges in Architecture and Urbanism in Albania. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81919-4). It relates to the abovementioned for what concerns the archival research; besides, it documents and critically analyses the events leading to the demolition of the Theatre, which happened on 17 May 12020. Translations from Albanian and Italian sources were carried out by the authors. Any error or inaccuracy is entirely their responsibility.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Ugo Carughi and Massimo Visone, eds., Time Frames: Conservation Policies for Twentieth-Century Architectural Heritage (New York: Routledge, 2017), 28. Some scholars recognize that protection should go beyond age, becoming an ongoing practice embedded in the construction since its completion. As Carughi stresses ‘Therefore, beyond the borders of a single nation or continent, a given legislation will reveal all its relativism. This condition, which in principle is not compatible with the fundamentally universal nature of cultural interest, is more evident wherever there is no binding time difference between the construction of a building and the implementation of a conservation order’.

2 Teatri Kombëtar Official webpage. http://teatrikombetar.gov.al/about-us/ (accessed July 10, 2020).

3 See the urban masterplan designed by Stefano Boeri Architects: https://www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net/project/tirana-2030/ (accessed July 17, 2020). https://www.artribune.com/arti-visive/2019/11/boeri-bosco-verticale-tirana-editoriale-fabrizio-bellomo/ (accessed July 17, 2020).

4 Europa Nostra, ‘National Theatre of Albania, Tirana, Albania’, Europa Nostra 7 Most Endangered Programme, Europa Nostra website, http://7mostendangered.eu/sites/national-theatre-of-albania-tirana-albania/ (accessed July 24, 2020).

5 Among many videos available on YouTube, see for instance: ADN Channel, ‘Albanian National Theatre Demolished’, 17 sec, 17 May 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwAoatyeXoo (accessed August 3, 2020).

6 Alessandro Pes, ‘Fascist Propaganda in Albania: Schools, Cinema and Radio’, in Images of Colonialism and Decolonisation in the Italian Media, ed. P. Bertella Farnetti and C. Dau Novelli (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017), 59.

7 Alberto Basciani, ‘Tra politica culturale e politica di potenza. Alcuni aspetti dei rapporti tra Italia e Albania tra le due guerre mondiali’, Mondo Contemporaneo 2 (2012): 95. The club also had a library with over 1500 volumes.

8 ‘Circolo Italo-Albanese Skanderbeg’, 8 settembre 1938, File 110/1: 1-2, 1938, 1, Arkivi Qëndror Teknik i Ndërtimit. The letter by from Eng. Dario Pater was addressed to the Foreign Minister, Count Galeazzo Ciano.

9 ‘Contratto no. 1374, Disegno no. 3629’, File 110/1: 1-18, 1938, 1, Arkivi Qëndror Teknik i Ndërtimit.

10 Renzo Renzi, ‘Il cinema, una regione’, in L’Emilia-Romagna, ed. Roberto Finzi (Torino: Einaudi, 1997), 822.

11 See note 9 above.

12 The use as cinema is mentioned in the AQTN and AQSH archival documents and can be seen in the Archivio Luce–Fondo ‘Reparto Albania’ online pictures catalogue. However, the projection booth is not present in the 1938 Pater’s project drawings. See the pictures of the Catalogue ‘Reparto Albania’, Keyword: ‘Cinema Teatro Savoia’ at https://patrimonio.archivioluce.com/luce-web/search/result.html?query=CINEMA+SAVOIA+TIRANA&jsonVal =  (accessed July 8, 2020).

13 Anna Barozzi and Luca Guardigli, ‘Italian Construction in the First Half of the Twentieth Century between Material Restrictions and Innovative Technology’, in Proceedings of the Third International Congress on Construction History, ed. Karl-Eugen Kurrer, Werner Lorenz and Volker Wetzk (Cottbus: Brandenburg University of Technology, 2009), 127–34.

14 Gennaro Tampone, ‘Strutture e costruzioni autarchiche di legno in Italia e Colonie. Caratteri e criteri di conservazione’, Bollettino degli Ingegneri 11 (2002): 3.

15 For an overview of the different experimental uses of wood in the building construction sector during the Italian autarchy period see the contribution by Paola Ascione, ‘Tecnologie, sperimentazione e uso delle risorse tra progetto Moderno ed esigenze di riqualificazione’, Techne 13 (2017): 212–21; Id., ‘Isolanti’, in Materiali del Moderno. Campo, temi e modi del progetto di riqualificazione, ed. L. Cupelloni (Roma: Gangemi Editore, 2017), 329–43; Ilaria Gradi, ‘Architettura lignea 1920–1940 in Italia e Germania’, Bollettino Ingegneri 1–2 (2008): 2–24.

16 ‘Marchio ‘Legnobeton’, Ditta Costruzioni ‘PATER’ di G. Pater & L. Tosini’, File Registro Generale 34374, 1927, Fondo Ministero Industria Commercio e Artigianato, Ufficio Italiano Brevetti e Marchi, Serie MICA UIBM, Serie MARCHI, Archivio Centrale dello Stato di Roma; ‘Marchio ‘Populit’, S.A. Finanziaria ed Affini, Milano’, File Registro Generale 52977, 1939, idem, idem, idem; ‘Marchio ‘Patercemento’, Dario Pater’, File Registro Generale 65976, 1942, idem, idem, idem.

17 Silvio Tanzani, ‘Il “Populit”. Notizie sui materiali per l’edilizia’, Casabella 83 (1934): 51; Paola Ascione, ‘Isolanti’, in Materiali del Moderno. Campo, temi e modi del progetto di riqualificazione, ed L. Cupelloni (Roma: Gangemi Editore, 2017), 329–43. Populit was, at that time, an innovative material consisting of an agglomeration of chipboard poplar fibres, produced by recycling the waste of matches’ manufacture mixed with cement. It was marketed in the form of thermally and acoustically insulating panels by SAFFA (Società Anonima Finanziaria Fiammiferi e Affini) company, and used in economic and rapid construction such as temporary houses, colonial farmhouses, exhibition halls, industrial buildings, barracks.

18 See note 8 above.

19 Anna Bruna Menghini, ‘Experimental Building Techniques in the 1930s: The “Pater” System in the Ex-Circolo Skanderbeg of Tirana’, (paper presented at the 2nd International Balkan Conference on Challenges of Civil Engineering, Tirana, Albania, May 23-25, 2013).

20 ‘Opere di edilizia. Lavori di Restauro del Cinema-Teatro “Savoia” in Tirana–Contratto di cottimo fiduciario no. 211, 28 febbraio 1942’, Cat. Institucione Qendrore Shtetëror–Tiranë, Fund ‘Institucione para vitit 1944’, 1942, Coll. 607, File 3: III-43, 1-25, Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror.

21 Anna Bruna Menghini, ‘Architetture italiane del Novecento a Tirana–L’ex Circolo Italo-Albanese Skanderberg’, Bollettino del Centro di Studi per la Storia dell’Architettura–Casa dei Crescenzi 3 (2019): 72.

22 Albanian Public Works Inspectorate was one of the offices under the directives of the Undersecretariat for Albanian Affairs under the supervision of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

23 ‘Lettera no. 4130, 8 agosto 1941–Lavori di restauro al Cinema Teatro ‘Savoia’ di Tirana’, Cat. Institucione Qendrore Shtetëror–Tiranë, Fund Institucione para vitit 1944, 1941, Coll. 607, File 3: III-43, 2, Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror.

24 ‘Opere di edilizia–Perizia per i lavori di restauro del Cinema Teatro Savoia–Stima dei lavori’, Cat. Institucione Qendrore Shtetëror–Tiranë, Fund Institucione para vitit 1944, Coll. 152, File 31: 1160, 1941, 1-8, Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror.

25 ‘Lettera no. 4130/2, 16 agosto 1941 [26 luglio 1941]–Lavori di restauro al Cinema Teatro ‘Savoia’ di Tirana’, Cat. Institucione Qendrore Shtetëror–Tiranë, Fund Institucione para vitit 1944, 1941, Coll. 607, File 3: III-43, 1, Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror.

26 ‘Lettera no. 5058, 13 settembre 1941–Perizia: Lavori di restauro del Cinema teatro Savoia di Tirana’, Cat. Institucione Qendrore Shtetëror–Tiranë, Fondi Institucione para vitit 1944, V. 1941, Coll. 607, Dos. 3: III-43, 1–2 (6), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror; ‘Minute, 16 ottobre 1941–Opere di edilizia–Verbale di sospensione dei lavori’, ibid., 1–2 (27), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror; ‘Minute, 17 novembre 1941–Opere di edilizia–Verbale di ripresa dei lavori’, ibid., 1–2 (28), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror; ‘Lettera no. 6814, 11 dicembre 1941–Lavori di sistemazione del teatro ‘Savoia’ in Tirana’, ibid., 1–2 (7-8), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror; ‘Lettera no. 1, 8 gennaio 1942–Lavori di sistemazione Teatro Savoia’, ibid., 1942, ibid., 1–3 (9-11), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror; ‘Lettera no. 83, 16 gennaio 1942–Lavori di sistemazione del Teatro Savoia’, ibid., 1 (12), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror.

27 ‘Minute, 10 dicembre 1941–Opere di edilizia–Verbale di ultimazione dei lavori’, Cat. Institucione Qendrore Shtetëror–Tiranë, Fund Institucione para vitit 1944, 1941, Coll. 607, File 3: III-43, 2 (29), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror. Despite the minute of completion stated the conclusion of the works, the restoration works were not finished yet, and the opera season was inaugurated on November 28, 1942.

28 ‘Lettera no. 1, 8 gennaio 1942–Lavori di sistemazione Teatro Savoia’, ibid., 1942, ibid., 1–3 (9-11), Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror.

29 ‘Minute, 19 febbraio 1942–Opere di edilizia–Processo Verbale di consegna’, Cat. Institucione Qendrore Shtetëror – Tiranë, Fund Institucione para vitit 1944, 1942, Coll. 607, File 3: III-43, 3, Arkivi Qëndror Shtetëror. At the dawn of 1942, the Lieutenancy of Tirana urged the company to deliver the premises to the Circolo Skanderbeg’s commissioner, Mr. Dr. Asim Jakova, without carrying out the final technical acceptance tests. Nevertheless, Bonaccorso asked to draw up a report of works’ delivery, following a group inspection of the building which revealed that ‘all the works of transformation, restoration, varnishing and painting, and the supplies carried out, in general, are in a good state of conservation, and that all special systems, heating, sanitation, stage lighting and of various rooms, are currently functioning’.

30 ‘Sistemimi i portikatit Kinema Kossova. Qeverija Demokratike Shqiptare. Ministria Punvet Botore, Drejtorija e Arkitekturës dhe Urbanistikës’, Drawing no.1, File 110/5:1, 1945, Arkivi Qëndror Teknik i Ndërtimit.

31 ‘Projekti Theatri Popullor. Modifikimi Kanalit Ngrohjes. Ndërmarrja Shtet. Stud, Projekt dhe Kolaud’, Drawing no. 3, File 110/10:3, 1949, Arkivi Qëndror Teknik i Ndërtimit.

32 ‘Projekti Theatri Popullor. Pjesë të ndryshme zbatimi. Ndërmarrja Shtet. Stud, Projekt dhe Kolaud. 19.07.1949’, Drawings 1-2, File 110/10:1-2, 1949, Arkivi Qëndror Teknik i Ndërtimit.

33 ’Salla e provavet (Teatri Popullor). Planimteri, Premje dhe Deatje të sallës provavet. Ministrija e Ndërtimit, Ndërmarje Projekti, inxh. M. Dragoti, 26.12.1950’, Drawing no. 1, File 110/ 11:1, 1950, Arkivi Qëndror Teknik i Ndërtimit.

34 ’Skena e Theatrit Popullor. Plani dyshemes dhe kapriata, K1; Premje dhe Detaje, K2. Ministrija e Ndërtimit, Ndërmarje Projekti, I. Prushi, 28.10.1952’, Drawings K1-K2, File 110/12: K1-K2, 1952, Arkivi Qëndror Teknik i Ndërtimit.

35 Kreshnik Merxhani, Astrit Seranaj, A. Çipi & Aleanca për Mbrojtjen e Teatrit, ‘Vlerësim mbi kompleksin e Teatri Kombëtar dhe atij Eksperimental’, Courtesy of Kreshnik Merxhani (Tirana: Report prepared upon Europa Nostra request, 2018).

36 Instituti i Ndëtimit, Ministrisë së Infrastrukturës dhe Energjisë, ’Vlerësimi teknik i godinës së Teatri Kombëtar, Tiranë’ [Technical evaluation of National Theatre building, Tirana], 2018, 1-15, http://www.institutindertimit.al/sites/default/files/Relacion%20mbi%20vler%C3%ABsimi%20i%20Teatrit%20Komb%C3%ABtar.%28viti%202018%29.pdf, (accessed July 11, 2020).

37 Ibid., 1–15.

38 See note 35 above.

39 Instituti i Ndëtimit, Ministrisë së Infrastrukturës dhe Energjisë, ‘Mbi vlerësimin e godinës se Teatrit Kombëtar’ [On the assessment of the building of the National Theatre], 2020, 4, http://www.institutindertimit.al/sites/default/files/Teatri%20Komb%C3%ABtar.Interpretimi%20%28viti%202020%29.pdf, (accessed July 11, 2020). It is important to highlight that this last technical report only retraces and summarizes the considerations about the state of conservation already stated in 2018, giving no further new insights. The main key-difference are the explicit final recommendations that suggested ‘[the] 1–Suspension of activities, and prohibition of access, to avoid any serious damage to people’s life and health, as the building is statically dangerous, at fire risk; 2–Demolition of the building and design of a [new] building with contemporary standards and technical conditions’.

40 Council of Ministers of Albania, ‘Për shpalljen ansambël monument-kulture të aksit kryesor dhe qendrës historike të qytetit të Tiranës’ [On the nomination of Tirana main axis and historic centre as cultural monument ensemble], Decision no. 180, 13 April 2000, http://www.imk.gov.al/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/VKM-Nr.180-date-13.4.2000-vendim-shpallja-eqendres-historiketirane.pdf, (accessed June 5, 2018).

41 Ibid.

42 Parliament of the Republic of Albania, ‘Per Trashegimine kulturore dhe Muzete’ [For Cultural Heritage and Museums], Law no. 27, 17 May 2018, art. 29, https://www.bksh.al/bksh/Ligje/Ligji.nr27-_dt.17-05-2018.pdf (accessed April 22, 2022). The Institute changed its name in Instituti Kombëtar i Trashëgimisë Kulturore–IKTK (National Institute of Cultural Heritage) and the IKTK is a national scientific and specialized institution which reports to the Ministry of Culture (comma 1), which operates in the field of material cultural heritage for research, study, design, conservation, restoration, supervision, testing, promotion, and publication about material cultural heritage (comma 2).

43 Council of Ministers of Albania, ‘Për shpalljen e Qendrës Historike të qytetit të Tiranës dhe miratimin e Rregullores për administrimin e saj e të zonës së mbrojtur përreth’ [On the nomination of Tirana Historic Centre and the approval of the Regulation for the administration of the Historic Centre and its surrounding protected zone], Decision no. 325, 12 April 2017, art. 4 and art. 5, https://qbz.gov.al/eli/vendim/2017/04/12/325/0817baeb-3d74-4b99-9b7b-cec76aec967c;q=VKM%20nr.%20325%20dat%C3%AB%2012.4.2017, (accessed July 7, 2020).

44 Council of Ministers of Albania, ‘Për deklarimin e Qendrës Historike të qytetit të Tiranës, përcaktimin e zonës mbrojtëse të saj dhe miratimin e Planit për ruajtjen, mbrojtjen dhe administrimin’ [On the declaration of Tirana Historic Centre, its protected zone and on the approval of the Conservation, Safeguarding and Administration Plan], Decision no. 582, 3 October 2018, https://qbz.gov.al/share/TdnuywAQS-WJkLzlc5rsLA, (accessed July 7, 2020).

45 According to this partnership, the land is given in concession to the local private company which, in return, builds the new National Theatre together with other private buildings.

46 Parliament of the Republic of Albania, ‘Për përcaktimin e procedurës së veçantë për vlerësimin, negocimin dhe lidhjen e kontratës me objekt “Projektimi dhe realizimi i projekti urban dhe godinës së re të Teatrit Kombëtar”’ [About the special procedure for the evaluation, negotiation and of the contract stipulation about the “Design and implementation of the urban project and the new building of the National Theatre”], Law no. 37, 5 July 2018 (amended 20 September 2018), https://www.parlament.al/Files/ProjektLigje/20180926123505ligj%20nr,%2037,%20dt.%2020.9.2018%20I%20rishikuar,%20i%20rivotuar.pdf, (accessed July 11, 2020). Briefly, Law no. 37/2018 was specifically issued to ease the public-private partnership procedures, between the State and Fusha Ltd building company, in managing construction initiatives on Theatre’s lot.

47 Presidency of the Republic of Albania, ‘Kthimin për rishqyrtim në Kuvend të ligjit no. 37/2018’ [Rejection for Parliament's reconsideration of the Law no. 37/2018], Presidential Decree no. 10849, 27 July 2018, https://www.parlament.al/Files/LigjeRishqyrtim/teatri%20dek%20final.pdf (accessed, April 22, 2022); idem, ‘Kthimin për rishqyrtim në Kuvend të ligjit no. 37/2018, 20.09.2018’ [Rejection for Parliament's reconsideration of the Law no. 37/2018 amended 20.09.2018], Presidential Decree no. 10908, 11 October 2018, https://www.parlament.al/Files/LigjeRishqyrtim/Dekreti%20nr%20%2010908.pdf (accessed, April 22, 2022). Despite these two Presidential Decrees, the Albanian Parliament did not carry out the modifications suggested by the Presidential Decrees, considering as final the version of Law no. 38/2018, as amended in September 2020. On July 24, 2019, the Albanian President sent a Presidential Request (no. 2580) to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Albania asking for the abrogation of the aforementioned amended Law. The full text of the Presidential request is available at: http://president.al/presidenti-meta-depoziton-kerkesen-per-shpalljen-antikushtetues-te-ligjit-per-shembjen-e-teatrit-kombetar-ne-gjykaten-kushtetuese/ (accessed July 24, 2020).

48 Council of Ministers of Albania, ‘Për kalimin në pronësi të Bashkisë Tiranë, të pasurisë no.1/241, me emërtimin “Teatri Kombëtar”, në zonën kadastrale 8150, Tiranë’ [For the ownership transfer to the Municipality of Tirana, of the property no. 1/241, named “National Theatre”, in the cadastral zone 8150, Tirana], Decision no. 377, 8 May 2020, https://qbz.gov.al/eli/fz/2020/83/43f5fccd-11a9-423e-9bce-ae58f8fe2016 (accessed July 24, 2020). According to the Decision of the Council of Ministers no. 377/2020, the Municipality of Tirana is expected ‘to build a contemporary building with the [appropriate] standards [worthy] of the National Theatre’ (comma 1).

49 Municipality Council of Tirana, ‘Per miratimin e shembjes se godines te “Teatri Kombetar”, pasuri ne pronesi te Bashkise Tirane, bazuar ne akt-ekspertizen e hartuar nga Instituti Ndertimit “Mbi vleresimin e godines se Teatri Kombetar”’ [On the approval of the demolition of the building of the “National Theatre”, property owned by the Municipality of Tirana, based on the act-expertise drafted by the Construction Institute “On the evaluation of the building of the National Theatre”], Decision no. 50, 14 May 2020, https://www.tirana.al/kategoria-e-publikimit/2020-128, (accessed July 24, 2020).

50 The first images of the new theatre in the shape of a bow-tie designed by the architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group started to appear on social media around the end of February 2018. Following many examples in Europe, a new contemporary building designed by a famous Archistar was expected by the Government to work as a catalyst for revitalization and rebranding, in this case blindly considered as an opportunity to shape a new contemporary urban identity for the Albanian capital.

51 Docomomo, ‘Heritage in Danger–Support request: National Theatre of Albania, 1938, Giulio Bertè, Tirana, Albania’; Disclosure Statement, https://www.docomomo.com/pdfs/events/heritage/065519_063034_Letter%20to%20Albania%20autorithies-Prime%20Minister%20of%20Albania.pdf, (accessed July 18, 2020); Europa Nostra, ‘Heritage in Danger–Support Request: National Theatre of Albania, Tirana, Albania’, 18 July 2018, Disclosure Statement, http://www.europanostra.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/HP-20180718-Albania-National-Theater-Rama.pdf, (accessed July 18, 2020).

52 See note 4 above.

53 See also Federica Pompejano, ‘From National to Cultural Monuments: An Overview of Architectural Heritage Protection in Albania (1912–1992)’, Journal of Architectural Conservation, 26, no. 1 (2020): 64–5.

54 Parliament of the Republic of Albania, ‘Per Trashegimine kulturore dhe Muzete’ [For Cultural Heritage and Museums], Law no. 27, 17 May 2018, art. 4.

55 Ugo Carughi and Massimo Visone, eds., Time Frames, 15.

56 Carlo Olmo, Architettura e Novecento (Roma: Donzelli Editore, 2010), 14

57 Maria Adriana Giusti, Albania. Architettura e Città 1925–1943, (Firenze: Maschietto Editore, 2006), 61.

58 Cornelius Holtorf, ‘Embracing Change: How Cultural Resilience is Increased Through Cultural Heritage’, World Archaeology 50, no. 4 (2018): 639–40.

59 ‘Resources, as long as they are resources […] are inexhaustible. Consequently, they do not only appeal to a receipt (acquisition and maintenance) by recipients or heirs; but they require new investment from anyone interested in them, which at the same time opens them a new future and make them fruitful, thus creating a future yet to be discovered’. François Jullien, L’identità culturale non esiste. Ma noi difendiamo le risorse di una cultura, trans. Chiara Bongiovanni (Torino: Einaudi, 2018), Kindle Reader e-book.

60 Marc Augé, Rovine e macerie, trans. Aldo Serafini (Torino: Bollati Boringhieri Editore, 2004), 93.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Federica Pompejano

Federica Pompejano is a European PhD, cum laude, in Preservation of the Architectural Heritage from Politecnico di Milano (2018) and MSc in Building Engineering and Architecture from University of Genoa (2012), Italy. From 2018 to 2020, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Architecture and Design, University of Genova. Since October 2020, she holds an H2020 EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Individual Fellowship Grant with the project titled ‘Materializing Modernity – Socialist and Post-socialist Rural Legacy in Contemporary Albania (MaMo)’. Dr Pompejano’s interdisciplinary research interests mainly focus on the preservation of the architectural heritage and built environment, with attention to the Albanian architectural heritage context. Dr Pompejano is currently a member of ICOMOS Italia, Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS), Istituto di Storia della Cultura Materiale (ISCUM) and a junior associate member of the Società Italiana per il Restauro dell’Architettura (SIRA).

Elena Macchioni

Elena Macchioni is an Italian-qualified architect and PhD in Preservation of the Architectural Heritage from Politecnico di Milano (2020). Her PhD thesis dealt with the conservation of architectures for cinema screening in northern Italy, with a specific focus on the ones built after Second World War. She holds a Master’s degree in Architecture from Università degli Studi di Parma and a Specialization Diploma in Conservation of Architectural and Landscape Heritage from Università degli Studi di Genova. Since 2007, Elena worked as a conservation architect in private practice in Italy. She was a consultant with Bologna University for the Great Pompeii Project, contributing to the condition assessment of one area of the archaeological site, and collaborated with the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) for the Earthen Architecture Initiative, Conservation of the Tablinum of the House of the Bicentenary in Herculaneum, and Conservation of América Tropical mural in Los Angeles. In 2019, she joined the GCI as Associate Project Specialist.