Creator: Frida Pashako & Boriana Golgota Vrusho
Date: 2015
Abstract: The history and evolution of the industrial heritage of Albania is strongly link with the historical, political and social events of the country. Since the second half of the 19th to the fall of the communist regime (1991) a lot of public investments in the industrial sector have been carried out, often those were part of the cooperation plans signed with Eastern European states (Yugoslavia, Cine and Russia). The expansion of the industrial sector, especially during the communist regime, brought economic and social progress, representing the only redemption of the country from backwardness and towards the building of a modern aspect.
Since 1991 Albania has initiated a process of modernization and deindustrialization of the sites built during the Communist era without a strategic plan aimed at economic conversion and then re-use of these areas, as during the transition process was difficult to defend the republic and regulate private interests.
The paper presents a study about one of the biggest and interesting industrial site in Albanian: the metallurgical complex of Elbasan. It is located in central part of Albania and was promoted from communist regime to build one of the most important industrial sites, although being one of the most ancient cities in country. Construction started since 1965 with the establishment of the steel rolling mill plant, in cooperation with Chinese Government. Further on, were put into use the cement fabric, coke plant, almery, pig-iron, steel; and lastly the nickel-cobalt and ferro-chrome plants. The whole area of industrial plant occupies a large area of about half of the size (about 460 km2) of the local government territory (about 1200 km2). After the fall of communist regime, a considerable part of the industrial warehouses went out of function, broke down and left without any investment. Today and after the process of privatization (started since 1992) some part of the complex are reused for industrial purposes, other parts are totally abandoned and represent a risk for the decay and pollution.
Our intention is to evaluate the importance of the industrial heritage in one of the most important industrial city of Albania in order to promote and to sensitize the institutions and the populations about the importance of such areas not only historical but also social and economic. In fact about 12000 of peoples have worked and passed a considerable time of their life there in the only site of Elbasan.
The methodology used in the study is based on recording, analysing and providing strategies for regeneration and adaption of this huge abandoned industrial complex, in order to transform it from a problematic asset to an opportunity and catalyst for the city. Furthermore, this will help national and international community to recognize the values and potential of industrial assets in Albania for the regeneration and sustainable development of the urban context.
Lastly, by this paper we give a contribution in carry forward the scientific research of Albanian industrial heritage.
Reference: Frida Pashako & Boriana Golgota Vrusho, ‘The history and actual condition of industrial heritage in Albania: The problems and opportunity of the metallurgical complex of Elbasan’, Big Stuff 2015
DOI Link:
| Pashako, Frida, & Vrusho (Golgota), Boriana. (2015). The history and actual condition of industrial heritage in Albania: The problems and opportunity of the metallurgical complex of Elbasan. Zenodo. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4087401 |
