Partial Conservation and Restoration of the Interior Spaces of the Zekate House

History of Interventions and Project Objectives

The history of restorative and maintenance interventions carried out on the Zekate House has not been limited or fragmentary; rather, as with the majority of traditional residential monuments in Gjirokastër, it has undergone successive phases of comprehensive restoration. The building has also benefited from partial conservation interventions implemented at different periods, with the aim of preventing total structural degradation. The analysis of archival documentation, material composition, and on-site observations indicates that the earlier interventions were predominantly of an emergency nature, conducted in accordance with the principles of scientific conservation, and have contributed significantly to the preservation and continued integrity of the original structure of the monument.

Main Objectives of the Intervention

The overall objective of the project is the structural stabilization and conservation of traditional materials, in full respect of the principle of “minimal but effective intervention.” The main objectives include:

Removal of soil, dust, and inert materials from the interiors of two rooms;

Mechanical cleaning of existing walls using brushes;

Consolidation of load-bearing masonry and elimination of moisture infiltration; repointing of joints;

Preservation and restoration of existing wooden beams;

Construction of traditional lime plaster and final lime-based finishing layers;

Supply and installation of wooden doors and windows similar to the original ones;

Construction of ceilings in the rooms on the second and third floors;

Restoration and consolidation of the existing roof; re-tiling; consolidation of the timber load-bearing structures; stone slab roofing;

Installation of stone flooring on the second floor, aligned with the entrance threshold level;

Restoration of the wooden floor on the third floor, including sanding and varnishing;

Installation of a skylight in the third-floor room, positioned at a minimum distance of 20 cm from two wall faces, with an opening dimension of 50 × 50 cm;

Ground drainage system, including earth excavation, polyester layer, filling with gravel (grain size 3–4 cm) to a height of 40 cm, and a finishing layer of fine gravel (grain size 1.5 cm) to a height of 10 cm;

Landscaping of the surrounding area of the drainage system and the building, including a 10 cm humus layer and 10 cm of natural grass;

Improvement of the internal microclimate through ventilation and cleaning of interior spaces;

Electrical power supply system, including sockets and lighting fixtures;

Graphic and photographic documentation of each phase of the intervention for inclusion in the archive of the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (IKTK).