While Albanians were busy with the national team's match in Serbia, another sensational artistic project with public funds was quietly inaugurated in Tirana: "Tirana Moons", a wooden installation located in "Mother Teresa" Square, at a cost of around 390 thousand euros.
The installation, which consists of moon-shaped domes, was realized by the local studio "UDV Architects" in collaboration with the Austrian studio "Precht", the same one behind the construction of the much-debated "Park Eden" in the courtyard of the Prime Minister's Office - a project of 3.6 to 4 million euros, also based on a wooden structure.
As in the case of "Eden Park", for "Tirana Moons" it remains unclear how the foreign studio was selected, and what criteria were followed to justify the investment for a high-cost temporary installation.
project
According to the official description, “Tirana Moons” consists of several spherical wooden pavilions, covered with tents, some of which are equipped with bookshelves. Also included are:
100 concrete pots
50 benches
260 square meters of reclaimed green space
Spaces dedicated to events and civic interaction
The project is said to create a recreational and artistic environment, which "combines aesthetics with public functionality."
In contrast to Tirana's cultural void
But while funds are being poured into such installations, the capital continues to face a severe lack of functioning cultural institutions. The National Library remains closed, as do the National History Museum and the Art Gallery, which have long been under reconstruction. The National Theater is in temporary housing, and the Tirana Circus is also out of action, leaving an important part of the city's cultural life empty.
Thus, while “Moons of Tirana” is promoted as a space for interaction and alternative culture, it remains unclear whether this project can compensate for the deep cultural void in the capital – or if it is simply another “image piece” at a high cost to taxpayers.
