Kimmel Eshkolot Architects, a Tel Aviv-based architectural studio, will design the Albanian Jewish Museum in Vlora.
Albanian Minister of Culture Elva Margariti made the announcement last week, noting that the museum will be built in Vlora’s historic center and funded by the Albanian-American Development Fund (AADF).
An international jury of mostly architects and urban planners conducted a blind review of the design proposals submitted by five international companies before awarding Kimmel Eshkolot Architects the first prize.
“The winning proposal was in line with the museum’s mission to BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. It will be a CULTURAL MAGNET for the area, a SOURCE OF PRIDE for current residents and the Albanian Jewish community. The museum will aim to create an experience that goes beyond its walls,” AADF said in a Facebook post.
The museum, the first of its kind in Albania, will chronicle the history of the Jewish community in Albania over the centuries. It will also highlight the role Albanians played in saving thousands of Jewish people during World War II by giving them shelter.
Today, Albania is home to a small Jewish community comprised of foreign residents and a handful of Albanians. But in the past, it was home to thousands of Jewish people who have lived here over many centuries.
Jewish quarters dating back several hundred years can be found in Vlora and Berat, there was a synagogue in Saranda in the 4th century, and there is a book in Turkey’s national library detailing Albanian Jews from the 18th century.
