Cassarino
Reclaiming Neglected Spaces: A Prototype for Vitality in Urban Spaces
Commissioned by the Local Council, this project reimagines a neglected and uninviting garden into a dynamic public space. Initially briefed as a traditional ‘playing field,’ the design evolved into a broader exploration of how leftover urban spaces in Maltese towns can be transformed into safe, inclusive, and well-integrated environments.
Previously, the site was a maze of winding walls that created hidden corners, contributing to a sense of unease among residents. Despite being surrounded by homes, the space felt disconnected from its neighbourhood. Inspired by the principles of New Urbanism, the design intervention focused on enhancing visibility and accessibility—key factors in fostering a vibrant and secure urban realm. By eliminating high walls and awkwardly placed steps and introducing in-ground planters, the garden now benefits from natural surveillance, allowing residents and passersby to feel both welcome and safe. Main paths are derived from the public network and a square or ‘misraħ’ is created, allowing for eyes on the street, following up on Jane Jacobs’ principles.
A core objective was to prevent the space from being monopolized by specific groups, ensuring it remains adaptable for diverse users. The layout integrates interwoven paths and flexible zones that encourage movement and social interaction—whether for daily walkers, parents with young children, or teenagers meeting friends. This balance between openness and programmed activity supports a dynamic mix of users, reinforcing the social fabric of the neighbourhood.
More than just a recreational area, this project serves as a model for reactivating overlooked urban pockets. It demonstrates how small-scale interventions can contribute to a more cohesive public network, enriching community life while providing a distinct urban amenity. Structures and paths are nestled into the existing terrain and colours and playful elements are used to characterize different spaces for different activities. By prioritizing openness, connectivity, and natural surveillance, the space fosters a sense of ownership and shared responsibility, ensuring its long-term success as a vibrant neighbourhood node.
Villa Overhills
Villa Overhills Multi-Purpose Hall: A Landmark in Adaptive Reuse and Rehabilitation
Villa Overhills is a prime example of how historic buildings can be revitalized to serve modern needs while preserving their original character. This project, by prioritizing conservation over new construction, the project minimizes environmental impact and carefully balances restoration with adaptive reuse, transforming the villa into a multifunctional space that respects its architectural heritage.
Located in the culturally rich town of Birżebbuġia, Villa Overhills carries deep historical and architectural significance. Its transformation from a disused estate into a vibrant community hub ensures its continued relevance and lasting legacy. The project follows best practices in heritage conservation, maintaining the villa’s original structure while incorporating reversible modern interventions. These thoughtful additions enhance functionality without compromising authenticity, allowing future generations to appreciate and adapt the space as needed. Through this approach, Villa Overhills remains a living testament to the seamless integration of past and present.
Designed with versatility at its core, the Villa Overhills multi-purpose hall adapts dynamically to a wide array of cultural and social functions, including exhibitions, performances, and community events. Modular and reversible architectural elements ensure that spaces remain flexible, while lightweight pavilions and extensions maintain an architectural dialogue with the existing villa. The interventions respect and enhance the Maltese architectural heritage, harmonizing with the villa’s limestone structure and the surrounding landscape. The use of reversible steel structures and glass establishes a contemporary contrast that remains visually coherent with the historical environment, ensuring a sensitive yet striking juxtaposition.
The villa’s exceptional outdoor spaces and gardens further elevate the project’s cultural and environmental value. Thoughtfully designed to enhance spatial connectivity, these spaces feature shaded walkways, landscaped terraces, and a semi-enclosed pavilion that fosters a seamless indoor-outdoor experience. From within the extended pavilion, visitors enjoy framed views of the lush gardens, while those outside maintain a direct visual connection to the hall’s interior. This fluid integration of space blurs traditional boundaries, reinforcing the relationship between built heritage and nature.
Villa Overhills is a distinguished model of architectural stewardship, proving that historical rehabilitation can be both innovative and respectful. By successfully merging conservation with contemporary design, this project preserves the cultural identity of the site while securing its functional future. It is this commitment to heritage, sustainability, and adaptive reuse that makes Villa Overhills a worthy contender for the Rehabilitation and Conservation Award.
Cottonera Olympic Indoor Pool
The extension seamlessly harmonizes with the existing building, featuring a fluid form emphasized by Glulam beams in the roof. This integration not only boosts the extension’s aesthetic appeal but also maintains a cohesive visual identity with the historical infrastructure.
Functionally, the extension caters to diverse needs, housing an Olympic-size pool for international aquatic events, alongside, accompanying facilities. The heated pool, equipped with modular steel panels and a moveable floor, meets varied aquatic sports standards.
Beyond architecture, the project addresses the demand for modern athletic facilities, enhancing public amenities and promoting sports excellence in Malta. Environmentally, it emphasizes sustainability by utilizing engineered timber like Glulam. Prefabrication and modular steel panels further enhance energy efficiency and minimize ecological footprint.
Innovation with Glulam beams and prefabrication showcases modern construction commitment. A heated pool with adjustable features adapts to diverse sports needs, setting a new benchmark for aquatic facilities, blending innovation with sustainability.
Green Islands
The site is part of a vast stormwater culvert network spanning the island. Previously abandoned, it’s now pivotal in a busy area for vehicles, transport, and pedestrians. Amid industrial and residential zones, it’s near the village center, addressing health and infrastructural needs, revitalizing a valley, and adding human-scale spaces to Qormi’s transport hub.
“Green islands” cover the culvert, providing activity spaces. A tree-lined track and intimate enclaves with lush vegetation cater to solitude or socializing. Pedestrian-friendly paths vary speeds, promoting a vibrant, green experience. Enclaves, linked by bridges over the culvert, feature vibrant foliage, defining spaces. Concrete elements aid navigation in this transformed corridor.
These enclaves, linked by the jogging track and connected via bridges over the culvert, feature vibrant foliage and colorful creepers, defining enclosures and open spaces. Concrete elements serve as navigational markers within the extensive linear landscape, enhancing the overall experience of traversing this transformed urban corridor.
Ġgantija Interpretation Centre & Archaeological Park
Found in the middle of the tiny island of Gozo, this project falls within the site of the oldest free-standing building in the world. The brief for this project is to realize an interpretation center which can narrate the story of the earliest temples of the Megalithic Temples of Malta and facilitate circulation in the site which predates the pyramids in Egypt. The implicit brief however was perceived to be the preparation of a visitor to “experience Ggantija.”
The Ggantija Temples are not “simply” rocks and cut stone assembled to form a place of worship. The placement within the environment also form part of what are “the temples.” The big, blue skies with the wisps of white. Comino laying low in the sea. The land beyond and the expanse of the within which the land is held. The gods adored and the devotion. The Temples have a big story to tell and such story is now 5000 years old. How does one seek to make such a tale accessible?
We decided there is only one way: the visitor’s imagination must be fired so he can then hear the story that is whispered constantly around and within the temples. All we must seek to do is prime the visitor as best as we can so he can catch the story that is there.
One approaches a building – the Interpretation Centre – that is concrete and steel in a shape that is, at the very least, strange, that encourages scrutiny. What is it? There are holes in the multi-faceted skin. Light goes in and light comes out. One gets snippets of what is inside the mind must join together to form a whole, to form an opinion. One steps through the doors into atall and narrow passage. The eyes are forced up to the high windows, to the light and the skies. The ego is suppressed, made to feel small within the blank, concrete walls, the eyes rising looking for escape perhaps sensing the gods of freedom beyond. The imagination is forced, through wonder, to engage.
Outside, beyond the Centre, the trail that barely touches the ground, travels now towards the yet unseen temples, portals framing snippets of views, guiding the watcher as to what is important, taking him seemingly through time, back through the years, engaging the child within to dream of passing through time, slowly, till he can hear the whispers in the very air, feel the remaining spirits in procession, in reverence.
And then, the Temple stands there and the story is already being told. There is silence but the visitor still hears it. He cannot explain the vague excitement, the reverence in his depths. He feels the Temple.
This is what we attempted to do. Hopefully, we have helped a few of the thousands of visitors descending on this glorious site engage so they may hear the whispers.
Wied Fulija Rehabilitated Landfills
Wied Fulija Park is a remarkable transformation of a disused landfill into a vibrant landscaped park, showcasing Malta’s dedication to environmental restoration and sustainable development. Nestled in a picturesque valley, the rehabilitation of this site focuses on reducing the risk of further surface, groundwater, and marine contamination, as well as minimizing the emission of landfill gases into the atmosphere. By stabilizing the landfill and reclaiming the landscape, the project revitalizes the area for community use while promoting ecological stewardship.
The park features over 200 native plants, creating a lush, green oasis that supports biodiversity. Carefully designed pedestrian walkways are placed through the park, inviting visitors to explore and enjoy the diverse flora. Strategically placed seating benches provide tranquil spots for rest and relaxation, allowing visitors to take in the serene surroundings. Thoughtful lighting ensures safety and adds a magical ambiance to evening visits.
Wied Fulija Park stands as a model of innovative environmental rehabilitation, turning a neglected space into a thriving haven for both nature and the community. This project exemplifies the harmonious blend of natural beauty and recreational spaces, fostering a welcoming sanctuary for all while advancing Malta’s commitment to sustainable development.
Elevated Walkway
Perched along the stunning coastline of Saint Paul’s Bay, the Elevated Walkway is a captivating addition to Malta’s landscape. Crafted with a sturdy steel main structure and graceful timber decking, this walkway seamlessly extends the existing coastal path into a lively community hub where visitors can relax and enjoy the breathtaking sea views. The decking is sustainably sourced, reflecting a careful choice of materials and a commitment to environmental responsibility. The design minimizes wastage and includes maintenance strategies to improve the longevity of the steel structure. Strategically placed seating benches and vibrant landscaping create inviting green pockets providing cozy spaces for solitude or social gatherings. Special attention to detail is evident in how different materials are thoughtfully joined together, ensuring aesthetic cohesion and structural integrity. Situated between residential and recreational zones, the walkway enhances local connectivity and fosters a harmonious blend of relaxation and activity. Its pedestrian-friendly paths invite exploration, offering varied experiences that encourage interaction and leisure, enriching the urban landscape of town of Saint Paul’s Bay while elevating its infrastructure.
Fort St. Angelo
This fort is an iconic landmark in the Maltese archipelago, epitomizing the strategic importance of the islands. Situated at the heart of the Grand Harbour and commanding its surroundings, the fort’s control historically equated to dominion over the entire island. With a history spanning from prehistory through the Phoenicians, Arabs, Medieval period, the Order of St. John, and the British era, the fort’s multilayered history is evident in its numerous modifications over the centuries.
The architect’s task is to depict the multi-faceted character of the fort at the forefront of the visitor’s experience, whilst creating the contemporary services which are required in a public building. The use of exposed aggregate recalls the original beaten earth flooring whilst the parade ground is highlighted with a paved flooring. The openness and void created in the expansive space, with concrete benches almost emerging from the ground and lightweight steel railings, pay tribute to the military nature of the site.
The paving is used further as a tool for storytelling, wherein, the patterns and lines created, are actually identifying the footprints of previous structures which were in place and additionally serve as a directional guide to different attractions and reflect the staggering formation of the bastions.
Interventions within the exhibition spaces are designed to be minimal and reversible, emphasizing the existing vaults and structures. Where new flooring was required, red and grey terrazzo is employed, gleaming and reflecting natural light and fitting in subtly while still creating a contrast, allowing for legibility.