It was a casual (if you can call rides in Albania ‘casual’) Furgon ride from Vlora to Berat via Fier. Approaching Fier, I couldn’t ignore the huge industrial structures seen from behind houses and fields on the city outskirts. When we reached Berat I rushed to the nearest Internet Cafe to find out more about this place: A 1.5 square Kilometers site, of Fier’s thermal power plant and fertilizers factory, inactive for years, as most of the communist-era factories. For me it was now a mysterious concrete amusement park waiting to be explored… But more than that – these colossal, monumental industrial structures are a vanishing architectural legacy, screaming for preservation, and in an era of building reuse, repurposing of these structures may create a world class attraction in Albania.
In this three parts report we shall explore the industrial remains, admire their uniqueness and wonder about repurposing them, in light of the large university buildings being built in Fier and Berat.
Part 1 – The southern area – Thermal power plant – Spooky remains
When I returned to Fier for exploration, I approached the area from south. Fier (or Fieri) is not a large city – its population is about 85,000 people, and the site can be easily approached by half an hour walk from the center. On the way, a surreal sight: Farmers cultivating their small field, with the giant concrete megaliths on the background
South-west of the plant, the sight gets an interesting rural appeal
Old industrial stuff and a good old tractor.
The location of these three majestic cooling towers forms an arch, thus, creates an interesting composition from a distance.
The main production hall of the inactive power plant is seen behind. A transformation substation on the site is still active.
Nature reclaims its land
Old cylindrical tanks create an intriguing sight of shape and color
Not to mention the texture of the crumbling concrete of the chimney and its metal ladder
And here’s an extreme schoolyard installation
Elevations of the main building are quite remarkable, with a charming ocher patina look…
This mini tower with its interesting round-octagonal shape and handsome pipe, marks the beginning of the northern part of the site, which we shall visit on the part 2 of this report
We conclude with a view to the main streets leading to the industrial site
Continue to part 2 – visiting the north part of the site – Fier’s nitrogen fertilizer factory
2 Responses
Alexander, Uruguay
These buildings are crying out all right – for demolition. They offer none of the charm of Victorian-era industrial buildings that rightfully are now commonly restored and reused. These concrete monstrosities symbolize everything wrong with modern architecture. Blow them up!
Orion, Massachusetts
I was born in the city of Fier. I lived on the opposite side of these monstrosities, about 3 miles away. I will never forget the smell of ammonia at night time. Not sure if it came from the oil refinery or the fertilizer plant. There was also a power plant used to power the fertilizer plant and the refinery. The cooling towers you see on the picture are from the power plant. Thank god it was an oil power plant, and not nuclear. The oil refinery is still in use today, and it’s a massive polluter. Any environmentalist interested check out the “secret bridge” of the gjanica river delta on Seman beach to see the environmental massacre going on as we speak, caused by the refinery on this pictures and the Ballsh oil refinery. Heartbreaking.