IN-PERSON: Livable Cities – New York

Abstract

The change from a socialist to a capitalist political system had a deep impact on urban development in Albania. Such an impact is visible in the coastal city of Durrës, which is in western Albania. This study focuses on the examination of the concept of urban identity in post-socialist period Durrës, a city that has been the subject of frenetic and dense informal urban developments. The methodology used in the research includes mapping, urban morphological analysis, questionnaires, sampling, and archival research. This study has identified three main historical urban layers and selected dwellers from these layers for interviews. This selection aimed to have a holistic sampling by including dwellers from each of these layers. It also assesses their identification with and attachment to the city by analyzing the results of these concepts based on the dwellers of these three main layers. The study discovered that the majority of the interviewed residents were attached to and identified with the city of Durres. Also, it was found that citizens who belong to older urban layers expressed higher values of attachment and identification. The most important landmarks that represent the city are reported to be historical buildings like the Roman amphitheater, Venetian Tower, Royal Villa, and the City Hall building.