REIMAGINING THE CITY THROUGH GREEN MOBILITY STRATEGIES: THE CASE OF TIRANA

In the current context, where the climate emergency and the increasing density of urban centres are reaching critical points, green mobility has become an imperative. It is no longer perceived simply as a technical intervention in transport infrastructure but as a central paradigm that is radically reconfiguring the way European capitals are organised and experienced. Its importance goes beyond physical infrastructure, profoundly influencing the way public spaces are inhabited, navigated, and interpreted by society. While existing literature often focuses on consolidated models of the global north, such as Copenhagen, this paper takes a different direction. It shifts attention to “capitals in transition”, those urban environments that are undergoing rapid sociospatial transformations and that still bear, in various forms, the traces of a complex post-socialist legacy. Focusing on Tirana as a case study, the research examines in depth how specific interventions, from the pedestrianisation of the centre to the expansion of the cycling network and the integration of public transport, can act as powerful catalysts for reimagining the post-socialist city. By utilizing a qualitative and comparative methodological framework, which draws on contemporary theories on urban imaginaries and mobility governance, this study places Tirana’s current initiatives against advanced Western standards. The analysis highlights that, although Tirana has integrated the technical elements of green mobility, long-term sustainability cannot be guaranteed through a mechanical replication of external models. Rather, the real potential stems from localised strategies. Considering the nature of informal development, the often-chaotic vibrancy of the streets, and the specificities of local governance, Tirana requires solutions ‘tailored’ to its size. The final objective is to design an urban vision where the citizen is the protagonist, but without compromising the unique character and authenticity of the city itself. Consequently, this paper articulates a critical perspective that is extremely useful for other urban contexts in transition. It highlights that the construction of a sustainable identity depends closely on the harmonisation of solutions with local reality and not on the mechanical reproduction of Western paradigms.