Besnik Aliaj

POLIS University · Department of Scientific Research

The first high-rise building ever in Tirana and Albania was built during the 70-s. This was Hotel Tirana or “15-kateshi” as it was nicknamed. At that time, Tirana was building not more than six floors high due to limitations in finances, technology, as well as seismic regulations. Hotel Tirana was an exception for ideological and symbolic reasons o...

Albania is part of the emerging economies of the Western Balkan region. Polis University is one of the pioneering institutions in the field of architecture, built environment, and city sciences that represents innovative methodologies and concepts for educational and scientific purposes. Nowadays, many constructions in Albania involve a wide range...

During the year 2020-22, millions of people around the world had to quarantine, self-isolate, and apply physical and social distancing[1]. Our lives, our family and work have drastically shifted into what many are increasingly calling the “new normal”[2]. People work, study, shop and even get health advice remotely. Yet, not everyone enjoys suitabl...

Urban areas and living settlements are frequently nowadays at the center of modern conflicts or crisis. They all face somehow their own unique set of challenges of “post-conflict/crisis” nature - including situations like wars, pandemics, environmental crisis, social unrest, political instability, economic collapse, demographic decay, etc. Aliaj, T...

POLIS University International School of Architecture and Urban Development Policies was founded in 2006, after the previous liberalization of the educational sector promoted by the Albanian Government. The mission of POLIS has always been focused on providing knowledge, technology, and leadership for people, encouraging development and innovation,...

Schedule for the conference ''Albania nel terzo Millenio''

Poster off conference ''Albania nel terzo Millenio''

Fatkeqësitë natyrore janë një shembull tipik i njerëzve që jetojnë në konflikt me mjedisin. Cënueshmëria e zonave të populluara ndaj fatkeqësive natyrore është pjesërisht pasojë e politikave dekadash të planifikimit hapësinor që nuk kanë marrë parasysh siç duhet rreziqet natyrore në vendimet e planifikimit hapësinor dhe zhvillimit. Prandaj është ja...

Saranda e munguar është testamenti i gjurmëve të ngjizura nga ngjarjet dhe arsyet kryesore që i dhanë fillim ekzistencës, vazhdimësisë dhe transformimit të qytetit. Ky sekret i shpirtit të qytetit, thesar ende i fshehur, nuk serviret thjesht si nostalgji, por si energji pozitive transformuese dhe si instrument dizajni nga ku mund të marrin jetë vep...

Monograph about Western Ballkan's Challenge of Commun Future

Polis University is happy to organize the 17th Heads of Schools Meeting in Tirana, Albania 30th March - 1st April 2022 Registration is Open @https://aesop2022hos.net/ Or email @aesop2022hos@universitetipolis.edu.al Don't miss it!

Western Balkans is one of the regions with higher unemployment in Europe, especially for recent graduates, which is one of the important reasons for the massive outflow of young people from the Balkan countries. The vertical mismatch between educational attainment and employment of graduates is still very high in WB countries, amounting to about 47...

Ballkani Perëndimor është një nga rajonet me nivelin më të lartë të papunësisë në Evropë, veçanërisht për sa i përket të sapodiplomuarve, dhe kjo është një ndër arsyet më të rëndësishme që çon në largimin masiv të të rinjve nga vendet e rajonit. Mospërputhja vertikale ndërmjet nivelit arsimor dhe punësimit të të diplomuarve vazhdon të jetë e lar...

All political parties recognized the need for the territorial and administrative reform that was drafted between 2013 and 2015, and there have generally been no reservations about it. In order to provide Albania, the chance to perform to its full potential in this aspect, such atmosphere galvanized high expectations from the public opinion and garn...

Since the failure of a centralized economy during the last three decades of transition towards a market economy, Albania has been facing severe political, societal, and economic changes. The process of transformation has provoked a series of accelerations, although the country is still struggling with past inertias. The result of such process has b...

Gjirokastra. Between the "UNESCO City" status and the phenomenon of "Shrinking Cities". Gjirokastra is one of the most beloved cities in Albania and beyond in the region. The city with extraordinary historical values, and with unique traditions and landscape, is rightly included in the UNESCO list. Gjirokastra has always been, and continues to b...

The turn of the 21st century has been marked by dramatic changes in the political, social and environmental panorama, which are deeply affecting the way we live today: terrorism, migration and global warming are certainly the most pressing issues, and they are putting at risk our very life on this planet. So far we have come to acknowledge that we...

Right after the local elections of 2015 in Albania, I (Besnik Aliaj) was invited in a meeting and training event with the newly elected municipal councilors and administrators of the Region of Gjirokastra, Albania, organized by the German foundation Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. During the meeting I was drawn by the remarks of Mr. Mihal Mano, the recen...

All Western Balkan countries share, despite their diversity and idiosyncrasies, a common aspiration for a future within the European Union, similarities with respect to development and integration agendas, as well as face imperfections of their planning systems and Territorial Governance (TG) practices. The current socio-political ambitions and reg...

Tirana Design Week (TDW) in 2019, approaches Tirana’s 100th anniversary as the capital of Albania. Comparing photos of a bucolic Tirana in 1920 with what one sees from Polis University’s fourth floor today, inevitably raises doubts about the endurance of design, while conspicuously evincing the fluctuating tendency of what constitutes a norm in a w...

The term 'brutal' has different connotations. Scholars of urbanism understand it as an architectural style that emerged in the 1950's and became popular for a few decades. The term 'brutalism' is ascribed to Swedish architect Hans Asplund who described a new modern brick home in Uppsala. For others outside architecture and urbanism, brutal is assoc...

For different authors, but also if we follow the history of human rights, we will realize that this century belongs to the rights- and to the ethical challenges that accompany the evolution of many different spheres of life but also of science. And while many living practices change and prosper, so does the diversity of residents affected by inform...

For different authors, but also if we follow the history of human rights, we will realize that this century belongs to the rights- and to the ethical challenges that accompany the evolution of many different spheres of life but also of science. And while many living practices change and prosper, so does the diversity of residents affected by inform...

I belong to the generation of Albanians born and raised in Albania during the years of self-isolation and extreme centralized economy. Kosova has been always a very popular theme among us, not only because of what we heard in the media, in schools, or what we read in books of history and ideology, but it was highly attractive for the fact that it w...

In the second half of the 19th century, Albania was still referred to as the “unknown country of the Skipetares” or Shqiptarët, as the inhabitants of the country in the southernmost part of the Balkans call themselves; even in the early 1990s, it was brokered as Europe’s last secret, because in fact almost no-one was permitted to enter. Even today,...

The proposed vision of territorial development and governance in the Western Balkans is the result of an interactive workshop held in May 2019 with the members of the Western Balkan Network on Territorial Governance (TG-WeB)1. As such, the vision reflects the opinion of the network, with individual perspectives being well-balanced towards a common...

After the collapse of the socialist systems during the early 1990s, countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have been engaged in conceiving their new identity. National identities are seen as historical constructions that are constantly being reconstituted according to a presentist agenda, that is viewing the past with a somewhat limited to p...

This position paper reflects input and feedback gathered from all Western Balkans Territorial Governance Network members. All Western Balkan countries share a common aspiration for a future with the European Union (EU). As a region, our territorial governance systems and practices face common imperfections that render the translation of EU policies...

The recently drafted General Territorial Local Plan of the Municipality of Tirana has generated interesting discussions among researchers, professionals and other interested stakeholders regarding one of its policies and projects called “The Orbital Forest”. While Tirana is dealing with densification, air pollution, and serious loss of the public s...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

This new publication of the Observatory of the Mediterranean Basin (OMB) tries to build on the previous investigations related to water issues, but shifting the focus from the Albanian Riviera to the river basin. The choice of title for this volume intends to convey importance to the idea of the river as a connection between land and sea. “When the...

Albania with strong impact also in Montenegro and Kosova. The city has a great history and culture, and was consider a stronghold of anticommunist resistance between 1945-1990. Since than it went towards a turbulent transition during 90-s and a significant transformation in the last 10-15 years. Nowadays Shkodra is one of 3-4 main cultural-touristi...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

For many years, one of the biggest challenges of Albania has been the consideration of urban planning as a management tool for controlling the development, in order to achieve territorial, social and economic cohesions. The transition from a centrally planned economy, where everything was controlled by the government, towards decentralization and m...

Si dhe pse qytetet marrin formën që shohim? Arsyet mund të jenë të shumta, por në këtë material do të ndalemi në një marrëdhënie të veçantë që qyteti ka me atë pjesë të imagjinatës që mishërohet gjatë historisë së tij në plane e projekte, qofshin ato të realizuara apo të parealizuara… Kjo imagjinatë është fryt sa i fantazisë, aq edhe i racionalitet...

The objective of this unit is the creation of a new research dedicated to the Observatory of the Mediterranean Basin (OMB), a possible niche in the market and within the focus of the Department of Applied Research at POLIS University. Starting from the Balkan regions, the interest will be extended to all the cities that overlook the Mediterranean....

EUROVISION Guest edited by a leading national organization in a single European country or region. Within a range of themes, they strive to give deeper insight into the current state of architectural affairs. After centuries of isolation and suppression under one of the harshest communist dictatorships, Albania has made great efforts in opening up...

This is about the first ever participation of Albania in the Triennial of Milan, done thanks to the concept and implementation of a team of Polis University Tirana and Co-Plan Institute for Habitat Development. The main curators: Besnik Aliaj and Antonino Di Raimo, with a support from Sotir Dhamo,and Dritan Shutina, The implementation was supported...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

This book presents: 1) an urban-studies panorama on the emergence of a built/landscape continuum following the anthropic expansion at the geographic scale and the consequent demise of the city/country divide; 2) an in-depth theoretical analysis of disparate landscape constructs, culminating in the proposal of a comprehensive spatial paradigm addres...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

A toolkit of territorial planning and development for practitioners, politicians, and academia in Albania.

Background: Between 1945-1990, Albania experienced one of the harshest authoritarian regimes of the Cold War period, and was considered the “Northern Korea” of Eastern Europe. The country prohibited any form of organized religion, private initiative, and freedom of movement. No foreigners could enter the country, practically. Indeed it was consider...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

Place branding is becoming increasingly popular among governors and policy-makers, and so is the body of articles and literature dedicated to this “emerging” phenomenon. Nevertheless the scientific community has still an important role to play in identifying, investigating and assessing various place branding approaches, even more so in transitiona...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

The Regionalisation of Albania – The Governance, Administrative and Territorial Reform that Albania needs on a Regional Level, was prepared by Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, based on the analytical work conducted in years - at least since 2005. This proposal builds up considerably on the role of Co-PLAN in the frame of the “Regional De...

Në verën e vitit 2003 me ftesë të Departamentit të Shteteve të Bashkuara të Amerikës, kam patur fatin të marr pjesë në një ekspozim profesional të jashtëzakonshëm për çështjet e planifikimit urban dhe zhvillimit mjedisor në Amerikë, në kuadër të Programit IVP (International Visitors Program). Programi në fakt zbatohej në bashkëpunim me Institutin A...

This innovative study was undertaken on the framework of the research units of POLIS University, namely: “IF, Innovation Factory” and “R&DI, Research and Development Institute”. It tries to summarize for the first time in Albania some theoretical-practical bases, and concrete ideas over the issues of spatial-territorial visioning, planning and deve...

Video Killed Radio Stars” nga grupi muzikor Buggles (UK) përbën një kujtim të hershëm të adoleshencës sime, në kohën kur gjatë regjimit komunist në Shqipëri dëgjohej e shikohej fshehtas në valët e RAI-t, emisioni mjaft popullor i kohës “Hit Parade Countdown” zakonisht të premten, të shtunën dhe të dielave në mesditë... Vite më vonë do të sensibiliz...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

Tirana is a city that has been changed and transformed both architecturally and in its urban form. So that Stefano Boeri recently wrote that the conetmporaary vibrating, wild individualist Tirana is literally inside the old communist Tirana composed by monuments and boulevards, <<altogether is on stage, as the city was made by pieces of time and n...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

Vienna University of Technology and POLIS University Tirana, Albania, organized jointly a bilateral academic exchange of staff and students of the schools of planning focused on the problematique of regional development and planning in the capital agglomeration of Albania, along Tirana, Durrës and Kruja cities. POLIS University is a new alternati...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

Materiali në vijim përmbledh një proces të gjatë hulumtimi të zhvilluar nga IKSH, Instituti Kërkimor Shkencor i U_POLIS në bashkëpunim me Komunën Tetovë lidhur me eksplorimin e potencialeve dhe skenarëve të mundshëm të zhvillimit të sistemit urban dhe territorial të Tetovës. Materiali që paraqitet në këtë manifest nuk është as vizion utopik dhe as...

For some time, Co-PLAN has felt the need to organise the following reflections on our efforts, which began in the context of the significant changes of the 1990s, at which time Albania was struggling to establish order in the face of chaos. Many of the ideas, reflections, and projects written about in the following pages were actualized, while othe...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

POLIS University publishes the “Forum A+P” – Interdisciplinary Journal of Architecture and Scientific Environment”, the only scientific and cultural magazine in the Albanian –speaking countries on the fields of architecture and territory planning. This magazine is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science, the Academic Degrees Evaluation...

Ky botim përfshin eksperiencën time gjatë periudhës 1990-2007, dhe në një farë mënyre, është thellim i studimeve pasuniversitare “master” dhe “doktoraturë” me të njëjtën fokus. Misteri i gjashtë është ispiruar veç të tjerave nga tre momente kulmore: 1. Eksperienca akademike nga Universiteti Politeknik tek IHS/Erasmus, Roterdam dhe Universiteti Poli...

Ky botim përfshin disa nga kontributet kryesore të workshopit me të njëjtin emër si titulli i kësaj parathënie, që është organizuar nga Platforma IDR, Instituti për Demokraci dhe Reforma, në bashkëpunim me ISP Instituti i Studimeve Politike, dhe Fondacioni Hanns Seidel. Botimi ashtu si dhe workshop synon të tërheqë vëmendjen e vendim-marrësve dhe o...

HAPËSIRA QYTETARE drejt fundit të tranzicionit?! Këndvështrime filozofike dhe teknike.

Dokumentim i aktiviteteve të Institutit për Demokraci dhe Reforma gjatë periudhës 2007-2008

Albania has been one of the most isolated countries of the world during the Cold War. Since 1990 the country entered a process of change and democratization. But the transition has been harsh, dramatic and often with tremendous social, economic and political costs. In spite of this turmoil, Albanians have been very active and entrepreneurial, and t...

Tirana city and metropolitan area nearby is a typical and complex example of a city in transition, which is continuous, and incorporates mixed structures and historical events. Tirana is a symbol of urban culture between the sea and the mountain, preserving Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine cultures in a Oriental atmosphere;... between European elements a...

Planifikimi urban apo rajonal mund të përcaktohet si një përpjekje e bashkërenduar e autoriteteve publike për të orientuar zhvillimin e tokës në interes të mirëqënies së përbashkët dhe eficencës ekonomike. Tashmë ai përdoret pothuajse në të gjitha vendet e botës duke u konsideruar si një mjet efikas si në vendet e zhvilluara ashtu dhe ato në zhvill...

Planifikimi urban apo rajonal mund të përcaktohet si një përpjekje e bashkërenduar e autoriteteve publike për të orientuar zhvillimin e tokës në interes të mirëqënies së përbashkët dhe eficencës ekonomike. Tashmë ai përdoret pothuajse në të gjitha vendet e botës duke u konsideruar si një mjet efikas si në vendet e zhvilluara ashtu dhe ato në zhvill...

Albania was one of the least known countries in the world and virtually isolated from foreigners up to late 80s. Most studies on Eastern Europe lacked reliable and complete information about Albania. Usually it was totally ignored, or in the best case mentioned as the smallest and the least developed country of Europe. As a totalitarian system, Alb...

Housing problems in Tirana are identified, and approaches proposed to address the phenomenon of growing illegal settlements. The following three housing supply approaches are presented in order to analyse their relevance to low-income housing provision in Tirana: provision of housing by the government, the sites-and-services approach, the improveme...

By the end of the 80s Albania was also influenced by "the wind of changes" that cooled Eastern Europe. Political and economic transition in the country started disorderly and actually is still undergoing through tremendous shocks and social unrest. The collapse of the former regime brought in surface many problems that were accumulated during sever...

Housing problems in Tirana are identified, and approaches proposed to address the phenomenon of growing illegal settlements. The following three housing supply approaches are presented in order to analyse their relevance to low-income housing provision in Tirana: provision of housing by the government, the sites-and-services approach, the improveme...