http://dspace.epoka.edu.al/handle/1/1658 2026-04-16T19:16:17Z 2026-04-16T19:16:17Z Shallo, Dajana http://dspace.epoka.edu.al/handle/1/2580 2025-03-21T13:42:05Z 2023-07-11T00:00:00Z

CHILD FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD EVALUATION: RECLAIMING PUBLIC SPACE FOR CHILDREN IN TIRANA NEIGHBORHOOD Shallo, Dajana Following the urbanisation of Tirana, it has become one of the most populous cities in the Balkan Peninsula. Since 1920, Tirana has served as the primary hub for politics, society, and culture in Albania. However, the city's population growth has presented challenges in providing adequate and secure spaces for children in general. The detrimental effects of industrialization, urbanisation, and environmental degradation have hindered the successful integration of children into urban life in Tirana. For the purpose of creating a truly livable city, it is crucial to prioritise the interests of children and ensure that the urban environment caters to their well-being, including safe circulation and access to various services and recreational areas. This research focuses on an old neighbourhood in Tirana that is situated along an important thoroughfare called “Rr. e Dibres” street. The objective is to assess the child-friendliness of public spaces within this neighbourhood. The aim is to evaluate the existing quality of these spaces and explore the potential for reclaiming these spaces, leading to further studies and improvements. The research methodology for this study involves gathering data through a literature review, onsite observation, mapping, online surveys, and utilising the "Urban 95" toolkit (Bernard van Leer Foundation and (Gehl, 2010), which is designed for measuring the urban experiences of young children. iv The ultimate goal of this process is to transform Tirana's neighbourhoods into environments that prioritise the well-being of children. By engaging the entire community, it aspires to create safer and more inclusive designs that cater to the needs of all residents.

2023-07-11T00:00:00Z Piperku, Edon http://dspace.epoka.edu.al/handle/1/2579 2025-01-29T15:14:20Z 2023-07-12T00:00:00Z

EMOTIONS IN BUILT ENVIRONMENT: DESIGNING A MUSEUM BASED ON THE EMOTIONAL JOURNEY OF ALICE IN ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND BY LEWIS CARROLL Piperku, Edon The aim of this Master Thesis is to explore the connection between emotions and architecture by designing an emotional journey through a museum inspired by Lewis Carroll's “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. The research argues that architecture plays a crucial role in shaping our emotions, and architects should focus on creating designs that elicit specific feelings and sensations. Drawing on insights from neuroscience and psychology, the study proposes a model for designing emotionally impactful architecture that emphasizes the importance of sensory experience and storytelling. The proposed museum will showcase the ways in which architecture can manipulate our senses and recreate feelings, leaving room for nostalgia or experiencing the same emotional journey of someone else. This innovative project reimagines a museum by ingeniously infusing the distinct emotions of Alice in Wonderland into diverse spaces, offering visitors an experiential journey through her emotional landscape. Beyond its immersive storytelling, this versatile museum serves as a dynamic community hub, seamlessly transitioning into a multi-functional center that fosters creativity, engagement, and connection among its visitors. The study will appeal to cinematography students, film and design enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the potential of architecture to evoke emotion and create meaningful experiences.

2023-07-12T00:00:00Z Mecaj, Klea http://dspace.epoka.edu.al/handle/1/2578 2025-01-29T15:13:02Z 2023-07-04T00:00:00Z

DESIGN - BASED OPTIMIZATION STRATEGIES OF URBAN PUBLIC MICROCLIMATE IN MEDITERRANEAN CONTEXT. THE CASE OF TIRANA, ALBANIA. Mecaj, Klea The quality of life in urban areas is greatly affected by the comfort and health of the environment there. As a result, the issue facing urban design and planning studies that attempt to improve the outdoor thermal comfort and microclimate conditions of urban areas is expanding. Comparing urban thermal comfort analysis to indoor thermal comfort study is more complicated since outside surroundings have a greater variety of dynamic analysis. While several studies have suggested, assessed, and analyzed residential blocks, high rise buildings, neighborhood patterns, or the performance of inner courtyards with regard to various elements, there is a gap in the literature addressing public squares and how they are connected to the thermal comfort of their users. In order to evaluate whether or not morphology significantly affects outdoor thermal comfort, this study will analyze those public squares and their surroundings through literary examination, followed by data analysis utilizing simulation tools. The purpose of this paper is to provide urban planners in Tirana and other municipalities with comparable climatic conditions with guidelines to help them make the most effective decisions possible when creating open spaces that are crucial to the city. This study will additionally provide design-based strategies for the optimization of these open places following evaluation, conveying improved microclimate but also alternative user experiences.

2023-07-04T00:00:00Z Sallaku, Kledina http://dspace.epoka.edu.al/handle/1/2577 2025-01-29T15:11:33Z 2023-07-04T00:00:00Z

URBAN MORPHOLOGY GENERATION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PUBLIC SPACE INDICATORS Sallaku, Kledina The application of parametric tools based on the big data assessment allow to study the city’s organization in a qualitative way. Urban morphology is a complex subject that may be characterized by its spatial relationships, built typologies and dimensions. Urban Morphology Indicators (UMIs) and Open Space Indicators (OSIs) help to define and evaluate the built environment. The present studies within the framework of analysis have already generated efficient urban morphologies, but mainly consider Building, Plot and Street indicators, with very few acknowledging OSI and almost none take them into account. This study establishes a framework by integrating different UMIs and OSIs that are most suitable for simulating urban generative design from the perspective of public spaces. Classification of the necessary indicators is a crucial step in receiving the data from the urban context. The developed framework is applied in the urban context of Tirana, at the site of Astir which is located at the southwest periphery. The existing urban development is used to calculate the UMIs which are used as a reference for the further generation of the public space scenarios. The urban analysis is performed using QGIS while the development scenario is generated using GH (grasshopper). The evaluation of the scenarios based on the calculation of various morphological indicators and visibility analysis help to define the best performing scenario. The proposed strategy aids urban planners and architects in developing public space-based sustainable strategies and efficient urban planning.

2023-07-04T00:00:00Z