The Marubi Museum has been selected by leading professionals in the field of museology who have acted as judges for the European Museum of the Year Award as one of the 50 most influential museums of the last 40 years.
 
Marubi Museum is selected together with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the British Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London among others in this publication.
 
According to the authors: 
Revisiting Museums of Influence presents 50 portraits of a range of European museums that have made striking innovations in public quality over the past 40 years. In so doing, the book demonstrates that excellence can be found in museums no matter their subject matter, scale, or source of funding.
...the portraits describe museums that had, or should have had, an influence on other museums around the world.

The "Marubi" file is now ready for submission to UNESCO. The file will be submitted for candidacy to UNESCO, in the program "Memory of the World Register".

The design of CHA for House Museum Ismail Kadare consists of the restoration and musealization of the birth house of the Albanian writter Ismail Kadare in Gjirokastra.

The project includes the interior design, the exhibition design of the permanent and temporary exhibitions, the museum's visual identity and the business and management plan for the first five years.

The design of CHA for the new Ethnographic Museum of Gjirokastra consists of the restoration and musealization of the birth house of Enver Hoxha in Gjirokastra.

The project includes the interior design, the exhibition design of the permanent and temporary exhibitions, the museum's visual identity and the business and management plan for the first five years.

With pleasure we would like to announce that our project for the Requalification Western Coast Shkodra Lake in Shiroka, Albania, has been nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture-Mies van der Rohe Award 2022.

As the organizers self state in their website: the prize, that is granted every two years, aims to recognise and commend excellence in European architecture in conceptual, social, cultural, technical and constructive terms.

With the project "Public Space Acupuncture after the corona crisis" CHA is investigating the impact of various degrees of (temporary) Corona measures on the design and layout of our public spaces.
Together with engineering and consultancy firm Arup and the municipality of Amsterdam, research is being conducted into how resilient Post-Coronavirus cities can be built in the future. To this end, the research analyzes various 'Windows of Opportunity' that emerged from the crisis period and that can improve the design of public space in terms of sustainability, mobility and social cohesion.
The intended results are a catalog with temporary solutions to adapt public spaces to the crisis situation, various essays and a concrete test case in Amsterdam Oud-West. These will eventually result in lectures, workshops, a website and a publication.

The project is conceived as a network of landscape and architectural interventions located along the Drin river cascade that includes the National Museum of Albanian Hydropower, Koman Lake Visitors Center, viewing platforms, scenic paths, and three harbors. The main objective of the project is to create new fluvial and terrestrial eco-tourism routes that highlight the cultural and natural values of the area to stimulate the cultural tourism and local economy.

CHA has contributed to the publication with the essay 'Building Knowledge in Interdisciplinary Design'. The book, published by Nobuko, Argentina, has been edited by the Spanish professors Daniel Gimeno and Miguel Guitart, with prologue from Alberto Campo Baeza, Spanish professor from ETSAM. The essay analyses CHA design methodologies and practical experience leading multidisciplinary teams to give answer to complex international commissions.

The project, financed by the World Bank, consists of the design and supervision of a tourist-friendly museum system in the UNESCO city of Gjirokastra. The system proposes new museums, cultural uses and activities in the frame of a coordinated business plan. The project includes the restoration of historical buildings and museums, which are activated with new museological projects, interior designs and exhibitions. It also includes the design and interpretation project of historic paths and squares linking the different museums.

CHA has contributed to the publication with the essay 'The Future of ADL Dwellings-Experimental Re-Designs for the Impaired'. The book, published by Routledge in London, has been edited by the Swedish professors Sten Gromark and Bjorn Andersson. The essay analyses CHA experience building special dwellings for people with severe mobility restrictions that allow them to live independently helped by home automation and punctually by qualified assistants.

Our zero-emissions building for the new Municipal office building and the City Museum of Tirana is finalist in a restricted international competition. Our team of experts has developed an innovative building for 1380 employees based on the zero carbon / zero energy / zero water / zero waste approach. The building is designed to obtain the LEED Zero (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certificate.

The development plan set the guidelines for the sustainable development of an area of 77.8 ha. along the Drin River cascade and three hydropower plants. The plan restores the landscape along the river and interprets the tangible and intangible cultural values helping to develop the region as a recreational and tourist area compatible with its environmental and cultural values.

The experts panel of the competition Urban Confluence Silicon Valley has recommended our submission to the Jury for consideration, along with 46 other submissions after the CCP reviewed and rated all 963 qualified submissions. The CCP is comprised of 34 local community leaders, artists, architects, environmentalists, and business leaders and has convened for two days of deliberation sessions.

The reconstruction of Shiroka Square in Shkodra lake which covers an area of 20.000 m2 is near completion. Shkodra Lake, Albania.

As the client states: 'The reconstruction of the square of Shiroka is a project that is expected to be joined in the future with the other project related to the reconstruction of the western shore of the Lake Shkodra. The investment aims to turn the village of Shiroka into an important recreational, cultural and tourist center, urging activities that take place near the lake and to renew the history and tradition of the area.'

The building should be a zero-emmissions one and will include the new room for the plenary sessions of the Municipality of Tirana, Albania.

The main objective of this commission is to carry out the analysis of the historical and socio-economic values of the study area, and to develop a plan for transforming the Drin Cascade zone into a tourist asset leading to the improvement of the area for both inhabitants and tourists alike.
Vau i Dejes, Komani, Fierza, Albania.

Both plans form part of an urban acupuncture strategy focused on regenerating the urban fabric damaged by earthquake that took place in November 2019. New residencial buildings where the affected families will be relocated are mixed with preserved existing buildings, new facilities and public space interventions. Durres, Albania.

The architectural and museological projects of the Ethnographic Museum and the Kadare House Museum in Gjirokastra enter their definitive design phase.

The two existing buildings will be restored and fully upgraded to international contemporary museological standards in order to improve tourism and local economy in the UNESCO city of Gjirokastra.

The reconstruction of Shiroka Square in Shkodra lake has started and will cover an area of 20.000 m2.

Helena Casanova has participated as an expert in devising and implementing urban planning processes that are inclusive and that give residents and other stakeholders a greater role than in standard top-down planning during the workshops of the Lab#5 held in Nissewaard on Feb 20-21 and organized in the framework of the "New Towns, Arrival Cities" programme 2017-2019.

Thursday February 25, 2019
De Vuurvogel School (tbc), Nissewaard

The Marubi National Museum of Photography has been selected for the BIG SEE Architecture Award 2019. The project has also been nominated for the Best Project (Grand Prix) in the category Public and Commercial Architecture.

Big Architecture Festival on April 17, 2019
Ljubljana, Slovenia

The project named Design and Supervision Gjirokastra System of Museums, in the UNESCO protected city of Gjirokastra is part of the Project for Integrated Urban and Tourism Development (PIUTD) program.

It includes among others the re-qualification of the Castle of Gjirokastra / Museum of Gjirokastra / National Museum of Armaments / Prison Museum / Ethnographic Museum / Ismail Kadare House / The Cold War Tunnel.

The project consists of the design and supervision of the building site of a tourist-friendly museum system and includes the restoration, renovation and definition of new uses of the existing museums; curatorial projects; exhibitions design; business models for all the museums; definition of activities program for the museums; thematic interpretative paths (public spaces) among museums; and the activity program in the study area.

The proposed strategy for the regeneration of the site aims to provide varied recreational and cultural programs in the different parts of the site attractive for all kinds of target groups. It reuses existing structures and creates new landmarks, all of them characterized by a specific identity and storytelling.

The strategy recreates the three historical and cultural landscapes of the site: the natural landscape, the fishery landscape and the industrial landscape through three thematic paths: the Forest Path, the Fishermen Path and the Dockyard Path.

Helena Casanova has been invited to participate as a Panel Member in one of the round tables of the International New Town Day organized by INTI in Rotterdam.

Thursday, November 15, 2018 / 14.45
http://www.newtowninstitute.org/spip.php?article1285

Frampton Marsh is on the Lincolnshire shore of The Wash, the most important estuary for wildlife in UK. The reserve is an internationally important place for wintering wildfowl and a crucial place for both migrating and breeding waders.

CHA will realize will realize some landscape interventions where culture, history and nature will be combined.

Casanova+Hernandez has been invited by Het Nieuwe Instituut to be part of their first series of Studio Visits. During this visit, the office will show their work, will explain their position as international designers and their design methods.

Studio Visits is a series of evenings dedicated to contemporary architectural practice, its challenges and possibilities.

Friday June 15, 2018 / 17.00
Lombardkade 23a, Rotterdam

Jesus Hernandez will give a lecture and will participate in a round table at the Bizkaia Aretoa auditorium within the frame of the BIA congress about Landscape and Territory / Productive Landscape: How to produce taking into account distribution, waste, consumption? How to generate short cycles, local productions and eco-sustainable territorial strategies? What role can urban agriculture play in the redefinition of country-city boundaries?

Wednesday June 20, 2018
Bizkaia Aretoa / Abandoibarra Etorb. 3, Bilbao / Spain

Short-listed proposals have been selected based on their innovative and sustainable approach.
The public presentation will take place on March 22nd at Factory Berlin in Mitte. The presentations are scheduled to start at 20.00

Frampton Marsh is on the Lincolnshire shore of The Wash, the most important estuary for wildlife in UK. The reserve is an internationally important place for wintering wildfowl and a crucial place for both migrating and breeding waders.

Helena Casanova will give a lecture at the School of Architecture of the University of Navarra in Pamplona.

Friday February 16, 2018 / 12.30 PM
School of Architecture. University of Navarra / Calle Universidad, B33 / Pamplona, Spain

The Marubi National Museum of Photography has been shortlisted as one of the candidates for the Big Architecture awards, category of landscape architecture.

Helena Casanova and Jesus Hernandez, guests professors at the University of Navarra, Architectural Design Department.

Presentation of the course at the Main Auditorium of the School of Architecture on Friday January 12, 2018 / 9.30 AM

Helena Casanova will give a lecture at Ryerson University, Toronto. The lecture will form part of the Department of Architectural Science, Ryerson, 2017/18 lecture series.

Thursday January 25, 2018 / 6:30 PM
Ryerson University / 325 Church Street / Toronto, Ontario

Marubi National Museum of Photography is presented by Jesus Hernandez in the 10th Regional Restoration Camp in Gjirokastra, Albania. The event is organized by the Albanian brunch of the Cultural Heritage Without Borders organization.

Casanova+Hernandez architects has been selected to participate in the New Town Lab of Alamar organized by INTI (International New Town Institute). During the New Town Lab, a team of international designers and experts will come up with a convincing and innovative concept for the future of Alamar, combining three topics: participation, food production and water.

This task combines the technical and architectural issues of water collection, the design and incorporation of food production in the district, and the social question of the mobilization of residents. The purpose of the workshop is to unite all these aspects in the design of public space.