Past, present and the claim for a possible future: the case of Tirana National Theatre

Tirana National Theatre maintained its public use since the 1930s, documenting the changes of Albanian history during the 20th century. The construction dates from the Italian Protectorate and was built as part of the Italian-Albanian Circolo Skanderbeg, a multifunctional complex conceived for entertainment as well as for Fascist propaganda. The structure was built in 1938 by the Italian company Pater with a prefabricated system representing an example of the new building technologies and research on materials developed under the autarchy restrictions imposed by the Fascist regime. Part of the complex was used as a cinema and theatre until its renovation in 1950 under the Communist dictatorship, when it became the Teatri Popullor. Subsequently, it functioned as National Theatre until its recent closure. After 2000, the building was included within the Tirana Historic Centre, put under preliminary protection status and incorporated as part of the buffer zone. However, in 2018 the Government planned its demolition and replacement with new construction. This decision faced the opposition of both the local community and international associations devoted to the protection of architecture and modern heritage. The paper deals with the construction history of this building that could be considered a shared heritage between Italy and Albania, approaching the questions around constructions whose architectural significance is neglected in favour of new developments, despite their high social meaning and values. Further, a building, even if being time-specific, is often characterized by a lifespan that is longer if compared to its purpose at the time of construction. Hence, any possible reuse should address the challenges posed by its actual state of conservation considering its material and technological obsolescence. Thus, a chance for the National Theatre conservation should arise from the awareness about its architectural features as well as from its social significance in the collective memory.