Stefano Boeri, an Italian architect with a long history of working for the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama, has won a contract to design an archaeological park and preserve Roman ruins in Durres.
He won the competition which was run by the Ministry of Culture and the Albanian American Development Foundation (AADF).
The project includes creating an archeological park in the city, designing paths, and working on the Roman amphitheatre and baths and the Byzantine forum. The baths and forum are currently closed to the public while the amphitheatre is open and attracts some 20,000 visitors a year.
Elva Margariti, Albania’s minister of culture, said in a press notice: “The Durrës Amphitheatre is not just a cultural monument, it represents Durres’s symbolic value, it is evidence of the past glory of this ancient city, which must returned for the exploration for every visitor of Durres.”
“The centuries have cast a shadow but have not extinguished the light of the immense cultural wealth of Durrës, hence the project for the conservation and revitalisation of the amphitheatre is necessary to restore some of the ‘lost’ glory.”
This will be the latest in a long line of government contracts awarded to Boeri who has a warm relationship with the ruling party.
Boeri was given the tender to develop the Tirana 2030 Masterplan which has seen the demolition of homes and even historical buildings to make way for multiple towers and roads. Some of the towers are designed by Boeri including the Cube, West Residence, the Vertical Forrest. Other projects include at least three schools.
Exit previously reported that the report presented by Boeri regarding the project was deficient, based on incorrect data, and in breach of contract.
The architect was also investigated for fraud relating to a project in Italy which he called a “misunderstanding”.
As for AADF, last week, Cafo Boga, a previous long-standing member of the AADF board wrote how he was dismissed for raising concerns over the project and the functioning of the entity.
He also said the board was not presented with all the facts and documents relating to the project, and said if they had been, the decision may have been different.
“Lack of transparency and misconception played a role in it,” he said.
He also questioned the apparent close relationship between the AADF and the ruling party, including “close ties to certain political leaders”.
Dismissed AADF Board Member Levies Criticism over Closeness to Government, Mismanagement
