Drymades

In the south of Albania, just opposite the Greek island of Corfu, lies a picturesque mountainous coast populated with national parks, historic villages and pristine beaches - the Albanian Riviera. Tourists have been recently flocking in to enjoy its charms, but municipalities are struggling to cope with the rising demand. The coast is experiencing an uncontrolled construction boom, and urban policy is not equipped to protect the landscape. We were invited to make a proposal for the collective spaces of a new residential development overlooking the Mediterranean. It was clear that the project had to be part of the solution, not add to the problem.

We relied on simply boosting the existing qualities - the site was a steep olive grove with sea views. Conceptually, we split it up into two plots, a ‘park’ and a ‘neighbourhood’, with introverted and extroverted spaces to engage with all ages and characters. The in-between of the buildings should come alive.

The ‘park’ fully assimilates the existing olive grove, densifying vegetation where possible and providing shade and cooling. By terracing the slope, we could lay small stone paths to connect the buildings while keeping erosion at bay. A sports field and playground are integrated into its terraces. When it rains, water becomes a visible part of the plan through the rock beds, stone gutters and water features in the retaining walls. The ‘neighbourhood’ is conceived as a patchwork of small interconnected plazas conceived to supplement the housing program and foster social cohesion. Each features a stone bench with trees or water features. These elements are designed as interactive devices, where one can sit alone or in groups, the bench shapes offering numerous possibilities.

While the existing vegetation, mostly composed of olive trees, is kept intact where possible, new additions are exclusively indigenous species that need little to no extra irrigation. The vegetation plan unfolds itself in three layers that allow for all greenery to be visible to the beholder. Simultaneously, this approach encourages a floral diversity that can create a self-sustaining, multicultural ecology.