Kamza, an informal Albanian city, exemplifies grassroots urbanism born from post-communist migration and political resistance.
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Kamza, an autonomous municipality near Tirana, is described as a living laboratory of self-built urbanism where human life is central. Its inhabitants constructed much of the city themselves, leading to structures sometimes labeled “informal” or “illegal,” which architect Dorina Pllumbi views as a material response to top-down power structures following the 1990s transformations. The city is densely populated and young, having absorbed internal migrants from rural areas seeking better lives after the fall of communism. Despite its growth, Kamza faces political controversy, exemplified by street names honoring controversial Western figures, and ongoing efforts by authorities to regularize or expropriate its informal settlements. Local groups, such as ATA, are working to combat the stigma of being labeled “illegal occupants” by giving voice to the community’s history, culture, and needs, while also addressing the threat of modern development destroying older, self-built homes.
