Back to the Mountains: A Guesthouse for the Preservation of Vernacular Memory on Mount Tomorr in Albania
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Date
2023-08-24
Authors
Metaj, Hyjnid
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
For millennia, the mountains of Albania have been a repository of vernacular knowledge, and in difficult times, a place of refuge from the often-hostile urban world. However, since the fall of Communism in the early 1990s, many Albanians have fled the mountainous countryside for the gleaming allure of urban centers within the country and abroad. Today, as the rural exodus shows no signs of decline, the traditional knowledge of the mountains is at risk of being forgotten as the country haphazardly urbanizes, and people become disconnected from their land. Identifying the mountains as carriers of collective memory, I situate this thesis on Mount Tomorr – a physically prominent and spiritually significant mountain in the national imagination. Through the review of historical accounts of guest travellers’ journeys to this mountain, and my own site visits, I explore the histories, myths, and landscape of Tomorr. This exploration is then used to determine a program, and a site near the northern summit: a hill by a crossroads containing the scattered remains of ancient ruins. Here, beneath the majestic peaks of Tomorr's northern summit, I propose the design of a guesthouse. Drawing inspiration from the site's past architectural legacy as well as the traditional practices of the mountain, the building embarks on a journey that rekindles the traditions of transhumance, alpine herbalism, and the hospitality characteristic of Albanians. The guesthouse serves as a conduit for the preservation of collective memories by employing elements of vernacular architecture; with a particular emphasis on the morphology of the guest room as a space where memories and knowledge can be organically formed and shared. Guests are invited to immerse themselves in the vibrant tapestry of mountain life, not merely as passive tourists, but as engaged contributors in learning and preserving the memories and age-old customs of the mountains, all while forging a reconnection with the land.