Reimagining Tirana Through Creative Circularity

Sonila Abdalli – Co-founding Director, Destil Creative Hub

In her talk at FABER Forum 2025, Sonila Abdalli offered a powerful vision for Tirana as a city shaped by creativity, circular thinking, and community-driven urban culture.

As Co-founding Director of Destil Creative Hub, Abdalli reflected on how a small experimental initiative launched in 2014 evolved into one of Albania’s most dynamic creative ecosystems. What began as an activation of unused urban spaces has grown into a model for blending architecture, art, design, hospitality, and entrepreneurship in a way that breathes new life into the city.

Her presentation explored how circular economy principles can be applied not only to materials and resources, but also to urban life itself — where ideas are reused, spaces are reactivated, and communities become co-creators of their environment.

Abdalli emphasized the importance of nurturing local talent, building interdisciplinary collaborations, and connecting Tirana’s creative sector with international networks. In her vision, cities become stronger not through scale alone, but through culture, care, and the intelligent reuse of what already exists.