LOCATION: DÜRRES, AL
SIZE: 34,000 M²
CLIENT: DION-AL
YEAR: 2025-
STATUS: ONGOING
ARCHITECT: CEBRA
LOCAL ARCHITECT: DESSARK STUDIO

Conceived as two architectural chains, Gjerdanët (The Necklace) draws its inspiration from the jewellery of Albanian national attire. The northern and southern plots near Lalzi Bay are shaped into a coherent master plan, with recreational spaces, apartment buildings, and a small hotel. Each beaded strand will unfold in subtly rotated volumes that touch at their edges. Together, they will form tactile passages that balance unity and individual expression.

The various passages across the master plan will be clad in natural stone, with each one featuring a distinct colour and materiality. This clear variation gives each passage a unique character, offering a spatial identity and allowing the visitor to experience it in different ways. Each passage also acts as an intuitive wayfinding feature, helping users navigate the building through material cues.

A material language rooted in stone
Gjerdanët will be situated in Durrës, Albania, on a flat site 500 meters from the Lalzi Bay. The vibrant area is renowned for its exclusive retreat offerings, attracting cultural and civic figures.

The design employs two primary materials. Natural, local stone is used to define the columns and transitional passages. Render will provide a smooth, clean surface adding a contemporary touch integrating well with the stone expression. Moreover, generous full-height windows will frame the end elevations, completing the units in a modular rhythm. The complexes will be clad with roof greenery of local flora.

Making space for nature
Large parts of the master plan will be shaped as low-intervention landscape zones, with only a few additions such as pathways and small resting areas. This will offer residents and visitors a sense of calm and reflection. Planting areas with minimal maintenance will connect people to the surrounding nature and provide an organic experience of the urban scale and context between the mountains and the coastline. To support this approach, parking is located at the site perimeter, ensuring the landscape remains the defining experience throughout both plots.

Hospitality with inland views
All volumes rise three to four storeys, opening towards the surrounding landscape, the neighbouring forest and the mountains beyond. While the site lies close to the coast, its flat terrain and existing developments create an unusual opportunity: rather than competing for limited sea views, the architecture is oriented to capture the expansive inland vistas that define the area’s character. This setting allows each unit to benefit from calm, far-reaching views, supported by full-height windows and precisely proportioned layouts that create a composed interior atmosphere.

The northern plot is composed of one- and two-room apartments, each with a balcony. The two-room layout offers a south-facing living room and a north-facing bedroom, allowing daylight to enter from both ends. Across the southern plot, apartments are combined with hotel units laid out with the same stringent proportions as the northern residences. The hotel facilities include a generous outdoor pool, a below-grade spa, selected ground-floor amenities such as a grocery store and pharmacy, as well as an underground parking structure.