Integrating Heritage Conservation and Sustainable Urban Redevelopment Balancing Preservation and Modernization in the Historical and Urban Context of Kombinat – Tirana
Author
Riccardo ALTOBELLO
Affiliation
PhD IDAUP / University of Ferrara, Italy
Abstract
The aim of the abstract, which is going to be more deeply analyzed in the article, is the sustainable transformation of urban spaces while preserving historical and cultural heritage which is the genetic of the neighborhoods of Tirana. In fact the main goal is to combine traditional and modern elements to achieve multifunctionality, resilience, and sustainability without losing the identity of the city. The preventive indexing methods, which is the starting point of my PhD research, could serve as a foundational framework for systematically documenting and assessing heritage structures like the Kombinat factory, aiding its redevelopment into a "city within a city." Similarly, the adaptive reuse and decentralized urban planning strategies in the Kombinat project, which has been investigate during the Workshop (December 10-20, 2024), align with the conservation goals of maintaining architectural authenticity while fostering urban growth. Together, these studies offer complementary insights into managing the complexities of heritage conservation and urban transformation in evolving social and environmental contexts. By aligning preventive conservation methods with adaptive reuse and decentralized planning, these approaches provide a blueprint for balancing preservation and modernization, addressing the challenges of natural disaster (flood, earthquake, etc.) response, urban growth, and connectivity in diverse contexts. This study collectively want demonstrate that a thoughtful integration of heritage conservation and sustainable urban redevelopment can foster resilient, functional, and culturally enriched urban environments.
