From Informal Sprawl to Gated Communities
Evaluating Spatial and Functional Integration in Southeastern
Tirana
Authors
MSc. Alba GORA, Faculty of Planning, Environment and Urban Management, POLIS University, Albania,
Abstract
This study examines urban sprawl in southeastern Tirana, focusing on post-2007 developments
along the Outer Ring Road and the Tirana-Elbasan highway, areas dominated by newly formalized,
gated residential communities. The aim is to assess whether these interventions contribute to a
more functional and integrated urban structure or represent a continuation of previous
uncoordinated expansion. The central hypothesis argues that recent formal developments do not
mark a shift toward cohesive urban transformation but instead reproduce spatial fragmentation
and monofunctionality in a different form. Methodologically, the research integrates GIS-based
spatial analysis with functional assessment, using structural indicators (Patch Density, Compactness
Index, Built-up Area Ratio) and evaluating service accessibility through a 15-minute walking
threshold. Findings show that these new developments remain disconnected from both the urban
core and surrounding informal settlements, offer limited accessto basic services, and lack functional
diversity. While older informal areas show relatively better connectivity due to their proximity to
central networks, they too lack integration and are not functionally sustainable. Overall, the study
concludes that urban sprawl in southeastern Tirana has not been resolved but reshaped through
formalization, reinforcing existing spatial inequalities and calling for a more coordinated and
inclusive urban planning approach.
Keywords
Formal development, gated communities, informal settlements, service accessibility, spatial
fragmentation, urban sprawl
