Vlora Waterfront

Vlora Bay, a blooming city

For the Vlora Waterfront competition, we attempted to create a self-sufficient landscape. Through contextual analysis of place, a design system was developed. This strategy led to our proposal of generating a growing field of architectures and atmospheres within the coastal line.

After identifying the strengths and weaknesses, we sought to remediate urban and environmental issues while reinforcing the strengths of Vlora. The proposal defines a collection of architectural seeds that will be configured on site to encourage the blooming of the Vlora Waterfront. These seeds negotiate various site conditions from infrastructure to recreation to leisure spaces.

The waterfront was designed to provide different atmospheres, allowing the city to offer a diversity of experiences for locals and visitors. The Waterfront is segmented into 5 atmospheric zones: The Green Beach, The Sea Gate Vlora Park, The Holiday Every day and an Untouched Land.

Within the Green Beach, the project focuses on the cleaning of storm water using wetland ponds and vegetation before the water enters the sea. In this zone, the existing beach remains largely intact, providing the city of a proper urban beach.

For the Sea Gate Vlora Park the project looks for international/cultural exchange. Here, visitors can get to know the culture of Vlora and the people of Albania. The harbor has been preserved as a touristic port with close proximity to the new nautical sports marina.

In the Holiday Everyday area, tourist will find everything they need to enjoy their time in Vlora. A vast platform extends the pedestrian area into the water allowing people to enjoy the beautiful sunset from the promenade.

The Untouched Land will be a Nature Reserve with access only from the Seaside. These architectural seeds not only protect the natural landscape, but also control sprawl of the city.

This strategy was designed as an open system that could be adapted to other waterfront conditions in Albania. Through analysis of the site conditions and the specific demands of each location, the flexible system is able to structure various sites across scales and requirements.

Client
Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism, City of Vlora

Type of competition
International Urban Design Competition

Area
5 km

Placing
Shortlisted -6 best designs

Architect
Matthias Bauer, Marta Martinez

Team
Maria Rodriguez, Rocio Miranda, Petrit Pasha, Adrienne Scottie McDaniel