• Opening of the Tirana Metropolitan Seminar in the presence of Tirana City Council, the National Territorial Planning Agency, the French Embassy and the French Development Agency
• The urban history of Tirana, a capital with diverse influences and the gateway to the Balkans. A metropolis at the crossroads of European and Mediterranean territories, with Ottoman and Italian influences and marked by authoritarian regimes, is now undergoing transformation in the context of European Union integration. A city undergoing massive urbanisation since the 1990s, which must rise to the challenge of reconciling its unique history with rapid internationalisation.
  Speaker: Armand Vokshi, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Tirana
• Presentation of the vision for the Tirana–Durrës metropolitan area. A moment of reassessment of the spatial planning strategy and a desire to realign planning and operational projects through an original series of international competitions organised by the National Agency for Spatial Planning.
• Tirana, “a new playground for architects from around the world”? (Le Monde, 30 April 2025). A tour of the city centre starting from Skanderbeg Square, taking in major architectural developments. Three projects will be examined to understand the entire process, from land acquisition to completion: the Intercontinental Hotel (Atelier 4), the Tirana Pyramid (MVRDV, Albanian American Development Foundation) and the Skanderberg Building (MVRDV). 
  Speakers: Andi Eftimi, Architect (Atelier 4)

How can we meet the service needs of a constantly expanding metropolis? 

A day co-hosted by Albanian and international urban service providers, in the presence of the Tirana-Durrës metropolitan area and GIZ (German cooperation agency). This day is based on solutions implemented by major international urban service providers: water, energy, waste and mobility. French international companies are involved in the event.

A day in four parts:

• Water management: infrastructure maintenance and development, sanitation and water reuse in a metropolitan area with only 6 hours of drinking water per day. 
• Waste management: focus on the circular economy and its innovations, a rapidly growing economic sector.
• Energy production: opportunities in the waste-to-energy nexus and renewable energy generation.
• Mobility: the multimodal strategy at the metropolitan level and within the city of Tirana: strengthening public transport and a strategy to promote soft mobility.

The Bread and Heart Festival is an international architecture event to exchange ideas, meet people and understand the Albanian market. 

A two-part day between Tirana and Durrës:

• • ‘Old Tirana’, a contemporary space that can remain popular? A unique experience in the Balkans to understand the multifaceted transformation of an urban heritage: the renovation of social housing inherited from the communist era, the evolution of the informal city, and the reorganisation of city-nature interfaces.
    2-hour tour with Arba Baxhaku, architect and author. 
  • Port redevelopment and urban transformations in Durrës: The old port is being converted into a marina, whilst a new port is under construction to the north of the city. Discussion on the urban and economic challenges of such a restructuring. A challenge to reconcile a vision of a sustainable city that is simultaneously residential, tourist-oriented and productive.
    Meeting with: Durrës City Council, the Durrës Port Authority, and Atelier 4, the studio responsible for designing the Master Plan for Durrës city centre.

A collective synthesis workshop and foresight exercise for Tirana and Durrës. Presentation of the work to local authorities by the participants.