Trailblazing Magazine Interview

Journalist question - Following your split from another well-known architecture studio where you were pioneers and also well-known for several projects, how is MA Studio & Partners doing and looking at the future? Klodiana Taçi response- Indeed, a new challenge MA Studio & Partners. We did a lot during 20 years of DEA Studio, contributing to the country with a lot of important projects for public & private spaces & buildings. It’s kind of interesting sensation, looks like you are bringing in life a new child meanwhile your first lovely creation is grown up enough to fly by himself in its proper life. The new one has all the love of the first, you have all the attention on growing him up strongly, but even conscious of having a lot of experience to do it perfectly. In one year from the birthday, it looks a healthy creation that brought us a lot of joys and for sure many and many others in the future. Journalist question - How can you define your modelling architecture style, what makes your style different from your competitors? Klodiana Taçi response: There are not anymore distinguished styles in architecture. Architects are globally travelling by decades in a modernism, that is always and more a unified megapolitan language of architecture. What we think differentiate us in 20 years of career are the principles we are based on. Our design concepts starts always with the psychology of the people, who will live our designed and constructed buildings. If we do not make them happy at the end, we could consider it a failure. There are a lot of architects, even very noted ones, that most of their designs started and ended with their personal artistic ego, without the human consideration at all. Not our way of doing architecture, for sure. Journalist question - Can you mention some of the projects your Studio has successfully completed and any other which is coming soon? Klodiana Taçi response - We did a lot in the first year of MA Studio & Partners l.t.d, with a lot of masterplans, residential buildings, residential complexes, touristic resorts. After designing a lot of implemented public spaces and waterfronts with DEA Studio, we added another important diamond to our career with Livadh waterfront with MA Studio & Partners, which will be partly ready for this touristic season and completed in the other one. Ultimately, we achieved a very, very important professional award, ranked as 2-nd in the international competition “Concert Hall Gërmia” for one of the most important new buildings in Prishtina, Kosovo. Journalist question - Could you give us an overview regarding this project? It looks like an important sign in your career with the new Company MA Studio & Partners. Klodiana Taçi response – Yes, it is. As a matter of fact, after many and many important challenges with DEA Studio in the past, it is the appropriate continuity with the new company. Our proposal for Concert Hall Gërmia in Prishtina is a very good opportunity for Prishtina to bring back in life a noted building of the past, with a fresh contemporary impulse, that could look clearly to the future. It is precisely this the key conceptual principle of our architectural intervention. The yesterday of a building designed in the '70s left as a trace for generations bringing back the identical geometries of the most important part of the original facade into the new design. The new building extensions with a completely new and important function also looks toward the future interpreting the integration of original facade with transparent glass modules inspired by the geometry of the aluminum pattern in respect of the original design. The transition between two epochs comes as a fusion interpretation in the proposal. Above all, our intervention is urban, connecting in the shortest way the South-West with the North-East city center areas, transiting the most important city public space "Skanderbeg" Square. Almost all atrophied spaces today become active and the Concert Hall Germia building itself will be the protagonist of the urban space with 360° experience with all that importance such a building should deserve. Beyond the competitions formal evaluations, we hope there will be a reflection of the local authorities for implementation of our design on site. We strongly believe is the right one for the urban context it will be part of. Journalist question - What do you think of all the projects booming in Albania especially in Tirana from the high rise towers and new impressive buildings? Klodiana Taçi response – Developments in Tirana are coming in the maturity period when the city has for years afforded a lot of growth problems. The big infrastructure is under construction and will facilitate the traffic overloading of the city center. By the other part, there are ambitious completed buildings and in action others, that will enrich the city skyline and European metropolis feeling. Who is coming back from a long absence in Albania is perceiving the distinguished changes of the city and its European face. Journalist question - Are the investors looking "fast forward" into the Country future of mix Tourism and business? Klodiana Taçi response – Really a very good moment for our profession, but the most important for the country. As it looks we are passing in this new decade from a long and hard transition, from the state controlled to a free market economy. The developments in years have been traumatic, but after 30 years of sufferings the first results are in front of the door. The new built national road infrastructure created a capillary interconnection among the cities, facilitating even the tourism purposes. There are two main objectives to be achieved by the Government, which will stimulate the BIG change of the tourism, which as a matter of fact is of great importance for the future country economy. Airport of Vlora and Saranda will be crucial. Journalist question - Where do you get all these new inspiration for your creative ideas for your projects as you have been showing? Klodiana Taçi response: Our profession is for sure a discipline, you go through urban analysis of the site you are called to intervene, but at the end you should explode in you the creativity, which will distinguish your proposal and this goes beyond, you should be inspired. Mainly the creation is instinctive, but well connected with the program of the project, specifics of the site and your organic approach. Journalist question - What would you recommend to the new entrepreneurs in architecture and design "start ups"? Klodiana Taçi response: Auto confidence. For sure it comes after hard studies and work, but the only attitude that will make the difference for a successful career.