Shkallare, podiume, dhe bordura: Qyteti nën një metër e pesëdhjetë [Stairs, podiums, and curbs: The city below one meter and fifty centimeters]

This article, written in Albanian, examines the tradition and legacy of socialist architects in designing public stairs, podiums, curbs, and other architectural elements associated with what I call the city below 1.50 m. The height of 1.50 m is conventionally understood as the level at which architects cut a plan drawing. The article asks: what if we were to extend this imaginary cutting plane across the entire city and its public spaces? What would we be compelled to see more carefully? In the case of Albania—and Tirana in particular—this perspective reveals a largely forgotten tradition of steps, curbs, stairs (in public squares, monumental cemeteries and parks) and other urban features that, until the early 1990s, people used for sitting, resting, and collectively using public space. The article further argues that, following the neoliberal turn associated with Edi Rama and the speculative orientation of contemporary urban development, this overlooked legacy offers an opportunity to introduce new sensibilities and renewed responsibilities for architects who continue to shape the city.