Friday, 24th October 2008 - 12:46CET
Restoration of unique house gets underway
Initial restoration works have commenced on Roseville, a unique house in Attard that showcases one of the finest and earliest examples of Art Nouveau in Malta, MEPA said today.
The works are being carried as a result of collaboration between MEPA and a developer to ensure that this distinctive architectural building is safeguarded, restored and re-used in a sustainable manner.
In January 2000, MEPA had issued an Emergency Conservation Order to protect the building owing to its architecture, especially its polychromed facade, the wrought iron railings and several other external and internal details.
A plan for restoration was submitted together with an application that included the construction of an old people’s home adjacent and on the rear of the property. Roseville will house the administrative quarters of the Home.
Roseville was built in the early 20th century as a summer residence. It was built in two phases; the ground floor in 1912 by architect Alessandro Manara and the first floor was added in 1921 by architect Emanuele Borg in the same architectural grammar of the ground floor.
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Comments
Surely permits for restoration shouldn't take so long......this isn't a building being demolished for new ones or a disco permit, but to restore a depilated faced which needs urgent taking care of.
Situated at the top of that steep hill where cars rev all the way up makes the Casino's maintenance an major headache.
Thanks for directions.
Well done MEPA! We have been pressing for the restoration of this house, said to be Malta's only Art Nouveau country villa, for the past two years.
It must be appreciated that MEPA's Integrated Heritage Management Unit do not have an easy role, however this sort of action helps to rebuild the public's confidence in MEPA. How about Villa Alhambra in Sliema and Villa Guardamangia in Pieta next, as they are both scheduled properties that are being left to deteriorate, possibly in the hope that the elements will hasten the demolition that MEPA has refused.
Now that the Dark Ages are starting to lift and we are seeing a MEPA that is much more pro-active on heritage, could the authorities please work on activating the Heritage Fund to give financial assistance to owners of scheduled properties. How can the owners of a place like Balluta Buildings possibly fulfil their legal requirements to maintain such a monument, without help from the State?
Park near San Anton Gardens and walk along the road by the side of San Anton, then turn left and walk all the way down. The house is the last one on your left; there are some amazingly photogenic properties down that road...that is, if you're an avid architecture photographer like myself
All we need now is someone to wake up at Mepa and start realising that places like Republic Street in Valletta would be a great gem to walk through, if it were not for the shop windows/facades making use of plastic, multicolored, ugly screaming signs. Next time you walk through Republic Street look up and look at the beautiful buildings from the first floor upwards .. Would it not be nice to see history restored in full again instead of white-red bank signs?