In this first episode of the series, we sit down with the curator of Albania’s participation in 19th International Architecture Exhibition, Anneke Abhelakh, to reflect upon the exhibition and its ambition to explore the reciprocal relationship between architecture, national discourse and society.

The second episode of the Building Architecture Culture Public Programme, titled On Agency, brings together architect and urban planner Andi Eftimi and historian Elidor Mëhilli to discuss the evolution of architecture in Albania, focusing on the transition from socialist ideologies to post-communist practices. In Albania, architects work with unusual freedom—but also face the challenge of serving the collective good. How will this tension shape the future of the profession in a country still in transition?

The third episode of the Building Architecture Culture Public Programme, titled On Freedom, brings together anthropologist and curator Nebi Bardhoshi, architect and educator Elisabetta Terragni and political theorist and historian Lea Ypi to discuss the transition of Albania from a totalitarian regime to a liberal democracy, focusing on the concept of freedom and its impact on the built environment. What kind of freedom is truly needed? One that liberates the individual or one that sustains the collective?

The fourth episode of the Building Architecture Culture Public Programme, titled On Landscape, brings together architect Toni Gironès, architect and urban designer Guust Selhorst and ecologist and educator Zydi Teqja, to discuss the evolving relationship between landscape, culture, and identity in Albania, emphasising an holistic approach that considers both private and public interests to preserve and enhance Albania's unique natural and cultural heritage.

The fifth episode of the Building Architecture Culture Public Programme, titled On Materiality and Loss, brings together researcher and practitioner, Adil Bokhari, architect Eled Fagu and architect at 51N4E Matteo Frangi to explore materiality and loss in Tirana’s architecture, examining how local and imported materials reflect societal changes and global influences while emphasizing the preservation of local identity.

In the sixth and final episode of the “Building Architecture Culture Talks” titled “On Governance and Design”, we tune into the voices of architect and director of Qendra Marrëdhënie Simon Battisti, architect and project director at Stefano Boeri, Francesca Cesa Bianchi and Professor of urban planning, Dorina Pojani. Together, the speakers examine how architecture in Albania has evolved as a tool for political communication and civic engagement, highlighting challenges in urban policy, the influence of NGOs and the balance between public and private sectors.