TIRANA, Dec 6 /ATA/ – Danish architecture firm CEBRA A/S & Arup International Projects Limited & Barker Langham Limited & UNO was declared the winner of the International Design Competition for Vjosa Wild River National Park in Albania on Wednesday.
The Dutch design and research studio Casanova+Hernandez Architecten, the Danish studio CEBRA A/S & Arup International Projects Limited & Barker Langham Limited & UNO, and the Spanish architecture and design firm Ensamble Studio competed with their designs and the winner was announced during a ceremony at the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Tirana.
The jury included the Prime Minister Edi Rama, the Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro, the Chief Executive of Patagonia, Ryan Gellert, as well as national and international environmental, architectural and territorial planning experts, who assessed the proposed design by CEBRA studio as the most creative and innovative one in accordance with the criteria set by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, as well as the National Agency of Protected Areas.
The Minister of Tourism Kumbaro said that the design will be completed with more details.
“There are a lot more steps to be taken and the final blueprint will be completed in 2024, when the construction work is also set to begin,” Kumbaro said.
The representative from the CEBRA A/S & Arup International Projects Limited & Barker Langham Limited & UNO studio said that the decision was a strong proof that architecture is not only about beauty, but also about change and transformation.
The winner of the competition will design and develop the multi-functional visitor centre and information stations of the national park in Vjosa.
The visitor centre will serve as a gateway, starting point, and place to learn for the park’s visitors. The aim of the centre is to strengthen and promote the natural and cultural qualities of the Vjosa Valley territory as the river is one of the last wild rivers in Europe.
This includes efforts to preserve the ecosystems with threatened animal and plant species and considerable biodiversity living in the area.
A total of 16 local and international architecture and design studios took part in the international competition launched by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the National Agency of Protected Areas in collaboration with Patagonia and IUCN.
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