Lorenc Bejko is a professor of Archaeology and Heritage Management at the University of Tirana. He has an MA in Archaeology from the Boston University and a PhD from the Academy of Sciences of Albania. He is specialized in prehistoric archaeology with a special interest in the Bronze and Iron Ages of Albania and the neighboring regions. His interests include methods and theory in Archaeology, social and comparative studies in issues of early complex societies, archaeological conservation, heritage and contemporary society, landscape archaeology, archaeological education. He has conducted extensive fieldwork in many regions of Albania and directed/co-directed over 7 multi disciplinary projects! Bejko has worked for the Institute of Archaeology of the Albanian Academy of Sciences, has served as director of the Albanian Rescue Archaeology Unit, director of the Institute of Cultural Monuments of the Albanian Ministry of Culture, and since 2008 teaches at the University of Tirana. Is member of many professional organizations among which, corresponding member of the Archaeological Institute of America and member of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management, member of the Scientific Council of the UNESCO Office in Venice, President of the Albanian Archaeological Society.

After graduating in Architecture and Urban Planning at the Polytechnic University of Krakow in Poland, she worked for a long period of time in the Municipality of Tirana as urban planner, developing parallely and hereinafter the academic experience in teaching at the Faculty of Architecture. Co-designer of a considerable number of urban studies, urban requalification projects of public spaces, she also owns qualitative experience in design and implementation. Currently directs the Institute of Cultural Monuments, it is co-author of numerous projects on the restoration of monuments, and revitalization of historical and museum centers. Head of many tracking expeditions, for documenting and declaring objects as cultural monuments, as well an identifying the Albanian cultural heritage at the international level. The initiator of several partnerships with the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of History and Philology and non-governmental organizations participating in the IPA projects in the region. The Institute she leads is the focal point of UNESCO for the declared World Heritage properties in the territory of Albania and maintains regular contacts with European institutions on exchanging parallel and successful experiences. Coauthor of advanced and profound studies with several publications in the field of cultural monuments and historical centers. Participant and contributor in a series of international conferences and exhibitions on preservation, revitalisation and management of cultural assets. Jury member in several international architectural competitions.

Elisabetta Terragni is a tenured Professor at City College of New York. She is a licensed architect practicing between Italy, Switzerland, Albania and the United States. Her work extends from the analysis of hand-motion to the transformation of abandoned industrial and military infrastructures. Terragni’s work raises issues of spatial and temporal discontinuities in the design of exhibitions, the conversion of abandoned sites and disused infrastructures for new public purposes. Leftovers, abandoned places, and structures that have fallen in disuse will continue to be the sites of architectural interventions, challenging imagination and sensibility, so as to avoid heavy-handed results. In a number of places, such as abandoned highway tunnels and demilitarized zones, Terragni has installed museum venues and rededicated remaining buildings by treading lightly on the ground. She has frequent consultation with private individuals and institutions regarding projects of renovation and re-adaptation like the consultancy for Trento Province in view of the development in the area around the tunnels project, 2010 to present. Since the extensive renovation project of Giuseppe Terragni’s 1937 Asilo Sant’Elia, Como, entailing an integral structural renovation and overhaul of mechanical equipment, she is frequently invited to analyze economical and technical problems of landmark buildings from 1920 to 1950.

Leah Whitman-Salkin is deputy editor of Harvard Design Magazine and is co-curator, with Simon Battisti and Åbäke, of the Albanian Pavilion at the 2016 venice Architecture Biennale.