2023 Volunteering at Mansa-Colley Bojang School, The Gambia
2018-2023 Assistant Architect at Verheijen-Smeets Architecten -Venlo, The Netherlands
2017 Interior design and Work Supervision of “Panda” offices in Tirana, Albania (Freelance work)
2014-2016 Architect at Atelier4 -Tirana, Albania
2014 Internship at Kontakt shpk -Tirana, Albania
Research work
2019 Shaping the ineffable - Research on the design of religious architecture as part of my master thesis.
2017 Research on Prefabricated Houses.
2012 Hotel typology - During the third year of my studies in Architecture Prof.Dr. Agron Lufi choose a group of students to go through a detailed research on Hotels and thier typology
Other
December 2020 Started my company “postcards_by_imenda” with selfe drawn water colour postcards from Maastricht, currently expanding in other cities. postcards_by_imenda
May 2018 “Learning from Models”, working on a model of a negative space followed by an exhibition.
August 2016 Encouraging price in the competition of designing a Touristic Object for Tirana which lead to starting my own brand of designed tote bags. totastic_bags
I love to paint, play the guitar, sing, swim and get people together. I cant help but remodel every space i spend time in and i love DIY.
Lanuages
English -Fluent
Dutch -Intermediate
Italian -Intermediate
Spanish -Intermediate
Skills
Professional, Quick learner, Keen to learn and improve skills, Organised, Research, Team work, Team Leadership, Public presentation, Creative spirit, Self-motivated , Able to meet deadlines.
MOTIVATION
I want to be part of Concrete because I love being part of a creative and challenging team. I am a naturally curious and enthusiastic person, always eager to learn and grow.
I lovea dynamic environments where ideas flow, teamwork is key, and humor is part of the process. The cozy and welcoming atmosphere of Concrete really speaks to me—I can already picture myself brainstorming over a cup of tea and bringing bold concepts to life with the team. With almost 10 years of experience working on international projects, I have developed a strong ability to create compelling concepts, refine ideas, and manage deadlines effectively. More importantly, I bring a social and easygoing attitude, always ready to collaborate and contribute positive energy.
I would love the opportunity to be part of Concrete and bring my passion and experience to your team.
01
BARCELONA TOWER
Location_Tirana Albania
Work Project (Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura)
Length_6months
Year 2024
Last year, I had the opportunity to contribute to this ambitious project as part of a collaborative and motivating team. In the first phase, I worked closely with a façade specialist to address detailed façade issues. During the second phase, I teamed up with a colleague to refine the layouts for the apartments and offices. The tower’s twisted design made both tasks particularly complex, but through teamwork and focus, we were able to achieve strong results.
Structural Approach
Facade study Floor 10-19
BOFILL
TALLER
BOFILL TALLER DE ARQUITECTURA
BARCELONA TOWER
BARCELONA TOWER
CEILING
5. MONO ACOUSTIC PANEL CEILING
1. RED CERAMIC FLOOR FINISH
4.LIME MORTAR WALL FINISH
5. MONO ACOUSTIC PANEL CEILING
3. BEIGE CONCRETE FLOOR FINISH
1. RED CERAMIC FLOOR FINISH
4.LIME MORTAR WALL FINISH
A. USM FURNITURE
B. METAL TABLE
3. BEIGE CONCRETE FLOOR FINISH
TRANSFORMATION OF HEILIG HARTKERK, VENLO
Location_Venlo, The Netherlands
Assistant architect at Verheijen Smeets
Architecten
Length_6 months
Year 2020
For the transformation of Heilig Hartkerk in Venlo I was responsible for preparing all the drawings and 3D images for the design phase presentation and also assisting in the design process.
The Gothic architecture of this church, with its characteristic small windows, presented a unique challenge for converting the space into residential units. To make the most of its design, we created a large communal area at the heart of the church, with the apartments arranged around it. Given the elevated structure of the church, we decided to lower the floor level, allowing for larger openings in the ground-floor apartments while maintaining alignment with the existing upper-level windows. Each apartment within this historic church has been designed to be a one of a kind and unique space.
Ground floor
First floor
Second floor
THE VOYAGE
Location_Maastricht, Netherlands
Graduation Master thesis Project
Length_4 months
Year 2019
Just like the title, this project has been a very special and beautiful voyage for me. I grew up in a Christian family but I always had a very special and personal way of seeing my faith and I used this project to explore that and shape the results in a small chapel.
I was always amazed by the beauty and power of small scale churches and chapels because they provided to me a kind of a sacred privacy and place of contemplation.
There were many long walks and bicycle rides that lead me to the perfect location for the chapel and it was a very special song my grandmother sang to me that made me draw the first sketches of the design.
After gradually leaving the city behind my chapel would be placed in a little spot surrounded by water at the end of a peninsula which somehow it all becomes part of the chapel after I decide to spread the siting spots alongside its length.
I got a great inspiration in the readings from Peter Zumthor, Tadao Ando, Rafael Moneo, August Rodin etc. Light was the most common feature in trying to give a shape to the ineffable.
I wanted my design to be very humble and welcoming without surpassing nature but somehow being part of it. But at the same time I wanted it to be a reference point, a reminder.
As a starting point for my design, I used my sketches from the song I mentioned earlier combining them with a vertical volume that would bring the light in the building from above. I also decided not to have a floor inside thus people will always be standing in nature, while the opening allows the sun, the rain and the autumns leafs to go inside.
There is a wooden gate in the beginning of the peninsula so I decided not to put another door in my chapel so that it welcomes people in, though the entrance wall is thicker with a step to have e feeling of passing through the threshold into the most private space.
Whether religion is man-made is a question for are man-made. They are a human Mircea
for philosophers or theologians. But the forms human response to something
Eliade
Carnaval in Maastricht
These two images reveal much about my source of inspiration. I find profound peace and beauty in nature, as well as in the hearts of people. The Carnaval in Maastricht captivates me—the dedication, creativity, and boundless imagination that people pour into their costumes and music never cease to amaze me. At the same time, I am equally mesmerized by the simple poetry of a small cloud brushing against a rainbow beneath the hues of a setting sun.
Road trip in North of Norway
These spaces could not be more different—the Abbey of Dom Hans van der Laan and an old house beside my grandmother’s home. My mother used to describe the paintings on the walls of that long-locked house, and when it finally opened a few years ago, I was amazed to find them just as vivid and colorful as I had imagined. In contrast, the Abbey is serene and devoid of color, yet it inspires me in a different way—it reveals the mathematical beauty of order. There is as much beauty in order as there is in chaos.
Carnaval in Maastricht
Saint Benedict Abbey
Friends wedding in Bengaluru, India
I recently attended an Indian wedding, and on my way to the restroom, Supper. The vibrant colors, the warm glow of the lights, and my friends cuisine—it was a moment of artistic inspiration that trigered my imagination around me.
I suddenly realized I had stepped into a scene reminiscent of the Last from all over the world gathered around, enjoying exquisite Indian imagination and my creativity, capturing the way I see and interpret the world
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself with extra time and developed a deep appreciation for Maastricht, a city I fell in love with after moving there. Unable to find postcards that captured its charm, I decided to create my own. I later approached local shops, and many still carry my cards today. Since then, I’ve expanded my collection with new products like birthday calendars and painted other cities, including Bergen in Norway and my hometown in Albania.
