The Great Park of Tirana, between the past and the future

Abstract

The Great Park of Tirana has a rather interesting historical evolution, as its existence is initially connected with the Park of the Royal Complex. This Complex would complete the works during the fascist occupation period, with partial adaptations by the architect, G. Bosio. The project adapts the geometric park, in complete harmony with the relief and with the objects of the complex and leaves a continues part in the form of a natural vegetation. This part multiplied after the Second World War, during the period of the communist dictatorship. In 1955, the construction of the artificial lake was designed and implemented, using several water flows in the area.

Currently, in the urban system of metropolitan Tirana, this park plays a very important, and a disciplinary role in the daily life of citizens. Because of its large size, it can not only be called a real lung of the city, but we can say that it is part of the daily rituals of a large mass of people. In complete harmony and continuity is the recently restored Zoo, the city’s Botanical Garden, public swimming pools and inside the parc the amphitheater, sports facilities, running and cycling tracks, as well as a series of university and educational institutions. The presence of the park has already balanced the urban development of the city, thanks to the continuous great demand to live near it, constantly achieving two strong conditions:

- increasing the high intensity and density of construction around this park,

- as well as the multiplication of the real estate price of residential and service buildings to compare to the rest of the city of Tirana.

This flood of surrounding constructions has turned into a continuous concrete wall in relation to the city. It has endangered a man-made ecosystem for nearly a century, as well as all other values associated with it.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.33.2024.22