“The future of architecture in our country is more precarious than in other parts of the region”. With these words, Arbëresha Ibrahimi-recently recognized among the top five emerging engineers in the Republic of North Macedonia-conveyed her concern to Portalb.mk. She emphasized that the ongoing political, economic, social, and cultural crises have a direct impact on both the development and the deterioration of architectural practice. As a result, today’s architecture faces numerous challenges, both in terms of design quality and the broader context of urban integration.
When asked whether women in this profession face barriers, Ibrahimi acknowledged that there have been positive changes. “There’s progress,” she noted, “especially considering how many women are now highly active in the field and actively support one another through various projects”.
Portalb.mk: A few days ago, you were selected among the top 5 young engineers in North Macedonia. What project do you think led you to this success?
Arbëreshë Ibrahimi: My successes have one common thread: the World Design Organization (WDO). Since 2023, I’ve been a member of the Young Designers Circle (YDC) within WDO. One of the key projects I’m part of as a leadership team member is Design Oath, which is still in progress. We plan to launch it publicly at the 34th World Design Congress and WDO General Assembly, to be held in London, UK, from September 9 to 11, 2025. Design Oath is an initiative aimed at defining design across various professional and socio-cultural contexts represented in our group. Recognizing designers as innovators and problem-solvers, we are currently working on creating a pledge that establishes strong ethical standards and responsibilities for designers worldwide.
Besides this, I have also been involved in organizing and leading student groups in the special project under WDO and YDC titled Heritage in Motion: Defining the Future by Design. This project encouraged teamwork, supported by academic mentors and industry experts, where participating students identified problem areas, highlighted gaps in existing solutions, and proposed innovative opportunities. The sprint was held online from September 30 to October 21, 2024.
Another initiative is the podcast Next in Line Design, created by and for young designers. This podcast offers a platform to meet the upcoming generation of inspired design leaders from around the world.
Portalb.mk: Are there barriers for women in this profession? How do you see female representation in this field? Is there improvement?
Arbëreshë Ibrahimi: Unfortunately, the barriers often come from within our close family and social circles. There has been progress—many women are extremely active and support each other in various projects. But is it enough? Certainly not. I believe there is always room for more women to enter engineering fields, starting from design to implementation and management.
Portalb.mk: How do you see the future of architecture in the country and the region?
Arbëreshë Ibrahimi: The future of architecture in our country is more critical than in other regional countries. Due to ongoing political, economic, social, and cultural crises-directly reflected in architectural development and degradation-we face numerous architectural challenges today, both from a design perspective and in terms of urban integration. We have ahead of us an extremely professional, ethical, and highly responsible task: to eradicate the “architectural and urban cancer” if we want to continue living and contributing to this country.
Portalb.mk: How did you get involved with the World Design Organization, and what does your role in the Young Designers Circle mean to you?
Arbëreshë Ibrahimi: At International Balkan University, where I am on the architecture faculty staff in the Faculty of Civil Engineering, we became members of WDO in May. After joining, we started following all activities within the organization and its partners. I actively participate and try not only to engage myself but also to involve my students. At that time, there was a call to apply for the Young Designers Circle (YDC). I applied by submitting my CV and a video presentation. At the 2023 Congress in Tokyo, I was announced as one of 35 Young Designers worldwide. Since September 2023, YDC and WDO have become part of my daily life. This role has given me extraordinary opportunities to connect with designers from various global fields and allowed me to implement projects of global value, including with my students, which makes me very happy. Of course, this role demands sacrifices and responsibility, but it’s worth it, especially since WDO supports our initiatives without hesitation.
Portalb.mk: Tell us more about your experience at “Going Green Global Design Week 2025.”
Arbëreshë Ibrahimi: The Design Faculty in Ljubljana, which is also part of WDO, is led by an exceptionally professional and energetic woman, Prof. Nada Rožmanec Matičič, and her outstanding team. They organize two highly active, high-level conferences annually: Going Green Global Design Week and Urban October. I have been a regular participant in these events for nearly two years. The atmosphere there feels like home-the professional and positive environment is unique, especially compared to ourcountry. At Going Green Global Design Week 2025, I presented two research projects: one titled Designing Inclusive Spaces: Mitigating Ethnic and Religious Divisions in Skopje and another representing our collaborative work with my YDC colleagues Arjit Singh, Luis Domínguez, Eunice Joy Ison, Leslie Sern, and José Tomás Marchant, titled From Moral Principles to Ethical Practice: The Case for an Oath for Design. Beyond these presentations, I was a special guest on the panel discussion Design as a Strategy of Growth of Every Company and moderated a Design Talk on Ethics and Social Responsibility in Design. Together with two colleagues from International Balkan University, we organized a workshop titled Designing for the Future: Sustainable and AI-Powered Interiors for Social Architecture with students from Ljubljana’s Design Faculty. Their best work was published in the Journal of Balkan Architecture, Volume 1, Issue 2. It was an extraordinary experience and a great opportunity for the entire design community to exchange ideas and create collaboration opportunities. We are now preparing for a joint project scheduled for Urban October 2025.
Portalb.mk: How do you think young people from the Balkans can contribute to global design?
Arbëreshë Ibrahimi: With WDO, it’s very easy for any young person to contribute globally, even though projects focused on their own country-that is, at a local level. They just need to follow WDO’s website and apply for open projects. This opportunity is not only for universities but also for design firms and others, making it an incredible platform to globalize their experiences through this organization if they become members.
Portalb.mk: How is architecture connected to the preservation of cultural heritage? Arbëreshë Ibrahimi: These two things are inseparable. It is our professional duty, through our designs, not only to preserve cultural heritage but also to promote it. The cultural diversity of our country is our greatest wealth, yet unfortunately, state institutions do not appreciate it adequately. Because of this, we lag instead of developing as a nation through the cultural heritage we possess.
