Photo: Good Magazine

What do you do with the ugly evidence of a troubled past you'd like to move past? According to GOOD, "Albania has 750,000 concrete bunkers dotting its hillside pastures, craggy mountaintops, and sandy beaches, all built during the Communist era to protect them against an enemy that never arrived." There is one of these strange-looking structures for every four Albanians. Two young designers, Gyler Mydyti and Elian Stefa, have an innovative idea for changing their country's landscape and reputation: converting the "concrete mushrooms" into eco-friendly, affordable hostels. The project would not only work to beautify the country, but also hopes to attract young travelers to this underrated Mediterranean destination. It's a poetic thought, and one that promises to make Albania more than a little-known country that's "hard to rhyme." Every beleaguered place should have such innovators, who instead of fleeing for more glamorous locales, work to change the way people see their home.

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