Architecture and
Landscapes of
Modernity in
Albania
In partnership with the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Polytechnic University of Tirana
1st DoCoMoMo Albania International Conference
ALMA 2026
Architecture and Landscapes of Modernity in Albania
In partnership with the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Polytechnic University of Tirana
4-6 June 2026, Tirana, Albania
Venue: to be announced
contact: alma@docomomo.al
ALMA 2026 is the first edition of the international conference Architecture and Landscapes of Modernity in Albania, organized by DoCoMoMo Albania in partnership with the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Polytechnic University of Tirana. ALMA 2026 is the inaugural event of the ALMA conference series.
The conference explores how processes of modernity – political, social, technological, and economic – have shaped Albania's architectural, urban, and territorial landscapes from the early twentieth century to the present. It promotes an integrated understanding of modernization across architecture, planning, industry, infrastructure, and the built environment.
ALMA welcomes contributions on all scales of modernity: from product design and interiors, to buildings, public spaces, urban environments, and infrastructures. It encourages research addressing ideology, propaganda, civic symbolism, material culture, and everyday life, and strongly supports the recognition, documentation, conservation, and valorization of the material legacies of Albanian modernity.
Participants include scholars, architects, planners, engineers, historians, conservators, anthropologists, and representatives of cultural and heritage institutions. The event aims to promote interdisciplinary dialogue, expand public awareness, and advance the study and preservation of architecture shaped by Albanian modernity.
Conference Themes
1. Modernity, Ideology, and Socio-Political Contexts
- Interwar modernization, state formation, and institutional reforms
- Socialist period modernization, ideological programs, propaganda, and civic symbolism
- Everyday life and social uses of buildings and spaces (housing, education, work, culture)
- Cultural infrastructures, exhibitions, interior environments, and visual communication
- Public art, monuments, and artistic practices as expressions of modernity and collective memory
- Interpretation of socio-political values in heritage recognition and assessment
2. Urbanization, Planning, and Infrastructure
- Urban growth, regional planning, and territorial policies throughout the twentieth century
- Transport systems, industrial zones, utilities, and infrastructural landscapes
- Planning principles, experimental projects, and restructuring processes
- Recognition and conservation of urban and infrastructural heritage shaped by modernity
3. Building Typologies and Heritage
- Residential, industrial, commercial, administrative, educational, and cultural buildings
- Typological studies of interwar buildings, socialist-period public works, and transitional-era projects
- Documentation, conservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse
- Public engagement, awareness strategies, and heritage valorization
4. Technologies, Materials, and Design Practices
- Construction techniques and material innovations associated with modernization
- Industrialized methods, prefabrication, and structural experimentation
- Interiors, furniture, product design, everyday objects, and functional design
- Technical knowledge and material performance in understanding modernity-driven heritage
5. Documentation, Representation, and Digital Methods
- Archival sources: maps, photographs, drawings, publications, and visual culture
- Digital surveying, photogrammetry, 3D modeling, VR/AR, and GIS applications
- Historical and analytical methods for documenting modernity in architecture and landscapes
- Digital tools for communicating and promoting Albania's modern heritage
6. Comparative and Interdisciplinary Approaches
- Comparative studies of modernization in the Balkans, Mediterranean, Europe, and beyond
- Interdisciplinary research across architecture, planning, engineering, history, anthropology, geography, and design
- Innovative frameworks for interpreting sociocultural and environmental impacts of modernization
- Cross-national exchanges, influences, and collaborations
Event format
The conference will be organized in presence in Tirana. Online participation will not be possible. The program will include:
- Keynote lectures (to be announced soon)
- Thematic paper sessions and roundtables
- Exhibition posters
- Networking events and site-specific activities in Tirana
Timeline
January 20, 2026 – Opening of Call for AbstractsMarch 15, 2026 March 20, 2026 - Abstract submission deadline
April 10, 2026 - Notification of abstract evaluation
April 30, 2026 – Program announcement
May 20, 2026 – Registration deadline
4-6 June 2026 – CONFERENCE
July 31, 2026 – Full paper submission deadline
August 31, 2026 - Notification of full paper evaluation
September 30, 2026 - Deadline for submission of revised full papers
December 2026 - Publication of proceedings
Submission Guidelines
1. Submission form
ALMA 2026 follows an abstract-first submission model.
Authors may submit:
- Full papers
- Short papers
- Posters (printed portrait A1 format)
2. Language
All submissions must be written in English.
3. Abstract submission
Abstract template can be downloaded below
Abstracts should be submitted using the ABSTRACT SUBMISSION FORM
After review of the scientific committee, selected authors will be invited to present their research or posters at the conference and then submit their contribution in the form of a full paper or short paper.
If facing difficulties using the form, you can submit the form also via E-Mail at alma@docomomo.al
4. Contribution formats
- Full papers: 6-8 pages including images, endnotes and references. Paper submission is due after the conference presentation.
- Short papers: 4 pages, including images, endnotes and references. Paper submission is due after the conference presentation.
- Posters: Portrait A1 PDF + 300-word summary. Poster PDF submission is due before the conference and will be presented at the conference.
5. Templates
Presentation, paper and poster templates and author guidelines will be provided to all authors of accepted abstracts by the organizing committee.
For abstract templates see "Abstract submission".
6. Publication
All contributions to the 2026 edition, duly accepted through a double-blind peer-review process, will be published as the official Conference Proceedings within the Landscapes of Modernity series, with an ISBN. ALMA will make all accepted papers available in open-access digital format.
Registration
Participation in the conference is free of charge.
Registration is mandatory for all participants (authors and attendees). By registering authors confirm their presence in the conference and attendees will gain access to follow the conference program.
The REGISTRATION FORM will be available in April 2026.
Registration includes:
- Access to all sessions
- Publication of accepted contributions in the proceedings
- Certificate of participation
- Certificate of oral presentation (if applicable)
Due to venue capacity, places are limited, and early registration is recommended.
Keynote Speakers
To be announced soon
Optional paid activities
To be announced soon
Venue
To be announced soon
Keywords
modernity; Albania; Tirana; twentieth century; architecture; urbanization; socialist architecture; infrastructure; typologies; heritage; conservation; documentation; digital methods; interdisciplinary research; comparative studies; civic symbolism; territorial transformations
Organizing Committee
George Islami – General coordinator
Ana Pekmezi
Artan Kacani
Danny Klosi
Henrike von Baeyer
Scientific Committee
Arriola Andreu Madorell, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain
Camiz Alessandro, "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti - Pescara, Italy
Canziani Andrea, docomomo ISC Education + Training
Cinquepalmi Federico, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Corniello Luigi, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Italy
Copiello Sergio, IUAV, Italy
Daci Entela, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
De Luca Giuseppe, University of Florence, Italy
Di Nardo Paolo, University of Perugia, Italy
Di Robilant Manfredo, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Andreas Giacumacatos, Athens School of Fine Arts, Greece
Gianbruno Maria Cristina, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Islami Gjergji, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
Ivanovska Ana, Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, North Macedonia
Jashari Teuta, University of Prishtina, Kosovo
Kacani Artan, Polis University, Albania
Andrea Maliqari, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
Manahasa Edmond, Epoka University, Albania
Menghini Anna Bruna, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Nepravishta Florian, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
Oteri Annunziata Maria, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Pompejano Federica, University of Genoa, Italy
Pottgiesser Uta, OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Germany
Romano Stefano, Academy of Sciences of Albania, Albania
Saliu Nuran, University of Tetovo, North Macedonia
Thomai Gjergj, Central Technical Construction Archive, Albania
Tomaselli Markus, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria
Valentin Nilda, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Veizaj Denada, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
Verdiani Giorgio, University of Florence, Italy
Vokshi Armand, Polytechnic University of Tirana, Albania
Waechter Felix, TU Darmstadt, Germany