Vjosa Wild River Visitor Centres Tepelenë, Përmet, and Vlorë, Albania

After establishing a nearly 13,000-hectare national park that includes Lumi Vjosa, the Albanian government selected CEBRA to design a multifunctional visitor centre in Tepelenë, as well as information stations in Përmet and Vlorë.

At each site, the architecture merges with the park, providing a distinctive perspective on wild nature in the interior and the landscape design. In and across the buildings, the interior offers a variety of spatial experiences. From controlled, closed areas around the open common spaces and framed views of the river to high ceilings and cave-like spaces.

A place of nature interaction and learning

The project includes efforts to preserve and protect biodiversity and ecosystems. The wild river territory is home to around 10,000 animal species, and several threatened animal and plant species. Relationally, the buildings and landscape include facilities that strengthen initiatives to create and share knowledge about the protection of wild natural environments, attracting eco-tourism, locals, schools, and researchers.

The national park has been established with help from outdoor brand Patagonia, environmentalist organisation IUCN, both represented in the jury appointing CEBRA for the task.

Nature and man meet in Tepelenë

Placed along the river, the Tepelenë Visitor Centre offers an immersive integration with nature. The interior includes educational spaces, research facilities, exhibition spaces, a community centre, shops, cafés, meeting rooms, offices, and workspaces, as well as accommodation for researchers. Outdoor areas allow indoor functions to spill out into the surroundings, expanding the centre's usable space, even on rainy days. The centre offers landscape spaces such as a botanical garden, an outdoor stage, a playground, a viewing platform, exhibition spaces, a picnic area, and a promenade extension. The ambition is to extend the promenade into a sensory boardwalk or path experience, so you can approach the centre on foot while immersing yourself in the river environment.

In the landscape design, all paths, furniture, and equipment across the sites should be as non-intrusive as possible. As such– in well-thought-out shapes– a series of stones forms a path, a fallen tree serves as the base of a playground, and simple rocks provide seating, supporting the narrative that nature and man are pieces of the same puzzle.

Përmet takes you beneath the surface

Revitalising the existing historical City Stone (Guri i Qytetit), its tunnel and its vacant chamber, which has no functional purpose today, will provide a sensuous auditorium. The underground space will host art installations, concerts, and film screenings that celebrate the vibrant history and nature of Përmet. The central location in Përmet has the potential to unlock synergies with the town’s other urban and commercial functions, while still maintaining a close physical connection to the river.

Vlorë goes beyond the shore

The Vlore Information Station is strategically situated away from the immediate vicinity of the Vjosa Wild River. Located near the Narta Lagoon, the station’s educational and exhibition facilities have access to an intersection of diverse landscapes, each distinctly shaped by the river’s ecological impact. The architect-selected location allows the information station to showcase the far-reaching effects of the Vjosa River on various ecosystems, highlighting its life-giving force that extends beyond its banks. As an exceptional example, the lagoon area is home to greater flamingos and Dalmatian pelicans, visible from the station’s panoramic view over the flat lowlands of the delta.