The National Theatre of Tirana: a non-normative DNA

At the first light of dawn of Sunday 17th of May 2020, the bulldozers escorted by the police forces started the demolition of the National Theatre of Tirana, by now one of the still-standing shreds of evidence of a very kaleidoscopic history such the one that Albania and its capital have been living during the last century. After driving away all the actors and activists that had been staying inside the structure during the last few months in its defense, around 4.30 AM the first blow of the bulldozers hit the main façade of the north-right building of the complex. Just a few seconds and an iconic image of the city of Tirana, and indeed of the country itself, ceased to exist. If we refer only opinions regarding the value of the building before and after the destruction, the debate behind the event risks to fall into a subjective point of view, where every opinion claims to be sustained by the most valuable and proven theses. Instead, what we find worthy to analyze is the originality of the National Theatre that represented for many decades a non-normative act either from an historical, urban, and behavioral perspective, within the peculiar condition of Albania, or in its destruction that embodied an unique manifestation of the decision to not follow any existing norm regarding the defense of recognized valuable buildings. Following this thread, we firmly believe that new reflections can arise and, maybe, it could be clearer why so many people stood in its defense and why its destruction was a scar that cannot be healed in the physical environment of the city of Tirana. [...]