This paper presents a description of the buildings of the City of Arts and Science and defines the key elements that Calatrava uses in the designing of this complex. In the beginning is presented a general description of the City of Arts and Science. A further analysis is been done for each building, which is based in the context of the concept that Calatrava uses. Also is done an analysis in the context of shape, structure and materials, which are very connected with the concept of the architect. In the end, are analyzed also the elements that are similar with his prior projects and how they have been developed. These elements also have been served for his recent work. The paper concludes that the key elements that Calatrava uses in this complex are almos t the key element that Calatrava has been used in the other prior projects. These key elements which are also present in its recent works, creates the design vocabulary that Calatrava uses in his projects.

Heritage conservation provides economic, cultural and social benefits to urban communities. The building conservation role has changed from preservation to being part of a broader strategy for urban regeneration process and sustainable development. Heritage buildings are vital in for transferring the cultural identity for upcoming generations. Where heritage buildings can no longer function with its original use, proposing a new function is necessary to preserve the significance of the heritage building. This study aims to explore the fascinating dialogue between totalitarian regimes introduced in two museums adapted within the anti-nuclear bunkers in Tirana. The architectural projects of the museum aim to preserve the identity of their interior. While the careful architectural intervention is necessary to create the atmosphere of totalitarian ideology, in many cases we have to do with the continuity of existing architectural and urban elements in these particular projects. The work explores two museums, BuncArt 1 and BunkArt 2, quite interesting reflection of the parts of history, during the years of world wars and the period of dictatorship of communism, with the facilities and elements exhibited there. In the meantime, thereafter, one can speak of a longer period for the period of the communist regime extending from 1945 to 1990. The impact of communist ideology, coming from the communist bloc of the East, also affects architecture and urban studies in Albania. In some respects, we have a silent follow-up to the monumental interventions that were made before the end of World War II. Another important element was the radical intervention in the bunkers in the territory and in the cities. Their quantity is considered with an amount of 700 thousand pieces. They were different in size and were seen more as defence-related parts rather than as a direct link to the new realist-socialist architecture. The return of some of them to the exhibition space was a good step to revitalize them. Currently they have been transformed into successful tourist attractions. Visitors come to perceive three important elements: (1) attractive military engineering, carried out in contrast to the challenges of the time, (2) the suffocating atmosphere during the communist dictatorship, which required extreme safeguards, (3) elements and historical facts of the World War period, as important elements during the Cold War. An ambitious third project, which is expected to be implemented in the future, is the conversion of the Pashaliman Naval Base in Vlora into another important military museum. This port was originally set up by mid-Fifties, by Russian troops, to have control over the Adriatic. The port is currently part of the military, thought to turn into a strong tourist pole.

The questions posed by the sustainable development of the natural and heritage sites have opened the discussion of new ways of planning these tourist territories. The aim of this paper is to show, by means of Orikum case study, how planning can contribute to the natural and cultural preservation, as well as to the tourism development. The paper opens by describing the main relevant contextual factors that have influenced the tourism market. It follows with the theoretical background and some definitions. In the next section it focuses on national strategies for the tourism development, describing the potentials, possible scenarios for tourism development planning of Orikum area. The results of research show that the planning concepts of sustainability and innovation will be highly strategic and operative to reach successful tourism development in the natural and archeological sites.

This research on the Florestano Di Faustos architecture seek to highlight the evident facts which are fairly present in the context of Albanian cities, but little-known in the academic and professional field. Di Fausto, the Italian architect who worked on the second regulatory plan of Tirana, designed personally also the new core of the Albanian capital, Skanderbeg Square altogether with the ensemble of ministries and the administrative buildings. The materials found in various archives in Italy and Alba nia reflects clearly the high capacity of architect's creativity, who worked at the same time for the construction of the city where Mussolini was born, Predapio, in Rhodes, Greece and in Tirana. Working in different contexts, with his architecture, to fulfill the complex requirements that come from these countries, every time he strove to make architecture which will be plugged with "the legend, myth and history of the location, leaving a space into free interpretation of tradition in a new vision of the most modern architecture". This paper will present the typical and original elements elaborated by Di Fausto in Albania, with a deep respect of existing city. Important parts of Di Faustos' ideas are showing for the first time.

This research tries to synthesize the urban development of Tirana, especially in the historical part of it, at different times. The evolution of the city of Tirana is a typical evolution for Albanian cities with an urban structure, which was born in the Ottoman period. The chaotic urban structure shaped spontaneously in recent centuries , in Bosios plan during 1940, was thought to be treated as a "garden city", well integrated with the new form of the city, preserving at the same time his physiognomy. Unfortunately this project has not been taken into consideration during the years of socialist realism, while in urban level there was no clear space developments in these parts. The situation in our time appears tragic with the destruction of the old urban structure but not in favor of a clear urban regulation for the city. The result of this paper is to identify and to dismantle the aggravated problems of urban structure in the capital and show effectively intervenes in special cases.