• Requalification of the main boulevard Ismail Qemali in Vlora City
  • Vlora, Albania
  • Municipality of Vlora and the Albanian Development Fund
  • Phase A: 88.000 sqm; Phase B: 45900 sqm; Phase C: 40700 sqm
  • completed, 2018
  • 1620-VLO
  • Concept, urban and open space design & supervision
  • BOOM landscape, Sphaera Studio

Vlora Boulevard

A scenic route that attracts locals and tourists.

With the new Boulevard in Vlora, the second largest port city of Albania, we vitalized an important node of the city that was far from using its great potential of becoming the lively heart of Vlora. Here one can find everything the city needs; from bars, shops, and restaurants to theatres, mosques, the University and the stadium.

The mission was to improve the public space that now is not only the biggest shopping street of Vlora but also acts as the spine of the urban structure connecting a variety of different programs with each other. The existing mix of regional and local functions and commercial and entertainment activities, that give the street a character with a high dynamic, has been strengthened.

The boulevard used to be dominated by speedy car traffic and was characterized by palm trees that, unfortunately, were slowly dying due to a disease if not mostly dead already. The former noisy 4 lane street got downgraded into a 2 lane street to provide a 4 m wide free space for pedestrians to stroll and to promote the use of bicycles: A new service strip for terraces, furniture and all kinds of the local greenery.

A lot of local greenery has been added to provide shade, reduce urban heat and improve the conditions and microclimate of the city. By using local materials and plants typical for the beautiful Albanian Riviera the design celebrates the identity of Vlora and emphasizes the genius local and topographical qualities and conditions. Sustainable and resilient materials for paving, using local planting and trees, define a public space that captures the characteristics of Vlora.

  • Requalification of the main boulevard Ismail Qemali in Vlora City
  • Vlora, Albania
  • Municipality of Vlora and the Albanian Development Fund
  • Phase A: 88.000 sqm; Phase B: 45900 sqm; Phase C: 40700 sqm
  • completed, 2018
  • 1620-VLO
  • Concept, urban and open space design & supervision
  • BOOM landscape, Sphaera Studio