A brief description of you, where you work, how many years of experience you have and your area of expertise:
I am a co-founder of "studio IOP architects" and for about 10 years, I work in the interior and exterior design of residential apartments, also - through our studio - in the education and preparation of young generations who want to attend the school of architecture in Albania and out of the country.
Why did you choose architecture? What was the spark that led you to this profession?
Unlike a few years ago, nowadays there is a greater attention and constant emphasis on the influence that architecture has everywhere in our lives and maybe the choice at that time was common, but what kept me then stuck behind its was the broader meaning I gained over the years.
What do you think of architecture and which is your project that best represents you?
When I think of architecture, a series of images come to mind - some of them related to my childhood. At that time I was experiencing architecture without thinking of it as such. I can still see some houses in my memory, feel their atmosphere, the way the light penetrated or still feel the scent that was there. I believe that memories like these carry with them the most powerful architectural experiences and have shaped my vocabulary in working as an architect today.
Renovation of a ground floor apartment in Tirana is a project that I really like, as well as the renovation and change of function of an apartment in an Optical Studio. Equally important are design objects such as the "Atelier" table for our studio.
What advice would you give yourself at the beginning of your career, valid even for young architects or those girls/women who want to become architects?
The advice we give ourselves or others verbally, seems to me to not always work. What we do with our actions is the most direct way to send messages to ourselves and others. Making good architecture has always been my goal and I can show this only through good works.