[ABOUT TDW]

Background

Tirana Design Weeks (TDW) is an international academic, professional, and cultural event organized biannually by POLIS University, aimed at promoting international knowledge linked to art and architecture practices, city sciences and research activities, starting from the Albanian context and reaching out to the international scene, positioning Tirana and, more in general Albania, in the European and World map.

TDW, which is annually combined with Tirana Architecture Week (TAW) – also a biannual event organized by POLIS, reaches its sixth edition this year, with the theme: “Design for the New Worlds”

The previous editions successfully accomplished the mission of exposing Albania to the International Architecture and Design panorama, with important guests such as Mario Botta, Antonino Saggio, Pippo Ciorra, Greg Lindsay, Nick Dunn, Michela Magas, Ben Schouten, Alireza Taghaboni to mentions just a few.

Topics of TAW past editions

2013 – “Tirana Design Weeks” 2013 – Main topic: “Made-in Design”

2015 – “Tirana Design Weeks” 2015 – Main topic: “Design Now

2017 – “Tirana Design Weeks” 2017 – Main topic: “Design for an Inclusive Future”

2019 – “Tirana Design Weeks” 2019 – Main topic: “Foreseeing uncertainty: Design & Non-Normativity”

2021 – “Tirana Design Weeks” 2021 – Main topic: Post-Pandemic Right to the City

VENUE – POLIS University

POLIS University’s new and modern premises are located at the heart of the most rapidly growing metropolitan corridor connecting Tirana with its International Airport, and the main Albanian port city of Durrës. A team composed of staff and students designed and supervised the implementation of the main buildings. The campus represents an excellent example of contemporary architecture with public spaces and green, sport, and parking facilities. The project was about the adaptation of existing industrial structures, as well as the addition of innovative structural, environmental, and energy efficiency blocks. The interiors are carefully designed, transparent, and full of light.

The campus is located 5 km from the city centre and has its own free shuttle bus services at 08.00 in the morning and 18.00 in the evening. There are also several affordable public transportation alternatives during the day. The university promotes biking and car-sharing practices. The campus is open 24 hours / 7 days / throughout the year, for its own students and staff. POLIS is a smoking-free area and free wireless internet service is also available. The ratio “sqm per student” is the highest in Albania at 1:12.

Polis University is a strategic partner of Tirana Municipality (www.tirana.gov.al) for cultural and intellectual activities taking place in Tirana, particularly for the “TAW Tirana Architecture Weeks”, “TDW Tirana Design Weeks” or for the support to “TICAB – Tirana International Contemporary Art Biennale”, “48 Hours Film Project”, etc. In addition, several initiatives and entities have their venues at POLIS, such as Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, “AUA, Albanian Union of Architects and Urban Planners”, “MAD Center & Gallery”, Innovation Factory, etc. The University has the most specialized library in Albania in the field of contemporary arts, architecture, spatial and urban planning, environment, civil engineering, and urban studies. Students and staff organize often public performances, social activities, or ‘urban provocation’ events in the city. U_POLIS publishes periodically the scientific journal of Architecture and Urban Planning “Forum A+P” and organizes on regular monthly basis activities such as “Open Forums” on city-making, film projections in “Cine_POLIS”, the Tirana tours “Walking the City”, social clubs “Book + Tea” and “GooGoats”, attracting the interest not only of the POLIS’s community but also of the visitors.