Craft Festival, Berat Castle

by Greta Belishaku

The Acropolis or otherwise the second siege of the castle of Berat which dates back to the 5th century BC. it is the most contoured, mysterious square and the highest point of the castle.

Revitalization consists of the consolidation of a group of ruins of the medieval and Ottoman period (XIII century to XVIII century), also includes new spaces with innovative functions including a small multifunctional hall.

The renovation proposal comes in an effort to ensure that the ensemble is sustainable not only in terms of energy consumption and maintenance costs, but also by involving the local population in society and creating a place for new cultural and economic activities.  (all proposed structures are disassemblable and transformable, above all they are not supported/captured nowhere with existing structures).

The new refurbishment introduces a network of; platforms/ stairs and shelters.

Its elements are strategically placed to differentiate periods and to highlight views of building parts that could not be seen before. Its aims are multiple:

-To enliven the life of the inhabitants of the castle and not only

-To reinforce the existing historical structures and prevent further deacy

-To transform the existing ruins into safe spaces for public visit

-To introduce new self-sustaining cultural and digital activities, compensating for poor local resources

 Strengths and benefits:

-Increasing the quality of life of residents;

-Development of local and international tourism;

-Development of creative activities based on culture

-Involvement of the local community.

-Cultural benefits

-Economic benefits

-Social benefits