During my holiday in Albania last summer, I walked past this building and it immediately caught my eye. It sparked my curiosity, so I carefully documented it. When, half a year later, the idea arose to design a hotel, this building instantly came back to mind and I started researching it.
Albania, Pogradec
This city, surrounded by hills and located in southeastern Albania, has around 62,000 inhabitants.
In the surrounding area, several nature parks can be found. On the route toward North Macedonia lies the picturesque village of Lin. Archaeological discoveries dating back to 6000 BC led to Lin being recognized as the oldest village in Europe, a unique place to experience traditional Albanian village life.
After the strict communist regime, Albania opened its borders to tourists in 1991. Tourism in the country is still in full development, which makes it very authentic and affordable. It is therefore an up-and-coming holiday destination.
The city itself appears somewhat chaotic, with overhead cables everywhere and damaged roads and sidewalks. Some buildings display a very modern architectural style, which is linked to the fall of communism. After the collapse of the regime, economic growth spurred the construction of new houses, resulting in a great variety of architectural styles.
Oktapodi Restaurant
The former Oktapodi restaurant is currently private property, with plans to build a futuristic hotel on the site. In my opinion, such a development would be completely out of context with the surroundings. That is why I want to reuse the existing structure, in order to preserve the connection with the local community. I envision the hotel as a valuable contribution to increasing tourism in this area, a place where many cultures come together while each is respected in its own identity, without anything being imposed. At the same time, it would allow the local community to reconnect with their memories of Oktapodi.
Lake Ohrid
Located on the border of North Macedonia and Albania.
One of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe.
Both a natural and cultural heritage site of the Ohrid region.
Natural Ohrid
The outflow of Lake Ohrid is carried by the Black Drin River, which eventually flows into the Adriatic Sea. The lake’s water is crystal clear and surrounded by beautiful beaches.
It is home to species that cannot be found anywhere else.
Besides fishing, tourism is an important source of income around the lake.
The North Macedonian city of Ohrid was a popular destination before the breakup of Yugoslavia and is now being rediscovered. The city of Ohrid is about an hour’s drive from Pogradec.
Communism
During the communist regime of Enver Hoxha (1944–1985), more than 170,000 bunkers were built in Albania out of fear of foreign invasions. The country was extremely isolated and distrusted both the West and former allies such as the Soviet Union and China. The bunkers symbolize the paranoia and repression of that era.
