Video: Valletta has a lot of stories to tell - Piano

Raymond Sammut

Jan 28th 2009, 17:29

@ James Muscat

The Knights, and their able architects (among them, the venerable Glormu Cassar), were building from ground zero with their own money, and were not losing heads.

Your remark in reference to the Knights is unwarranted since they themselves were Roman, or Italian at least, French, Spanish, and so on. It was more a matter for Europe to admire, even emulate, their creativity, originality and achievement, and hence regarding their city as "Superbissima". Valletta was already well underway by the time the baroque arrived, and they will have been the first to adopt this style.

The quadrilinear streets of their city were also a first, tribute to their great capacity for innovation, copied even much later in major city designs such as Fredericton in Canada and Melbourne in Australia.

The Knights will have pioneered the baroque, being fiercely loyal to the Roman Catholic Church which advocated the style. The style is about "balance" (hence the ugly, offensive, and marring 70s building on one side of the gate). It is also about "splendidness", starting from the basic (in Valletta's case, the bastions) and increasing in intensity, culminating at the centre (the St John's interior).

James Muscat

Jan 28th 2009, 11:53

Mr Sammut,

I think that It was pretty clear that I was hoping for the new opera house to be magnificient in its own right.

Perhaps I wasn't clear about the wrongness of ripping buildings down...I was talking about historic buildings.

That said, those flats, with their cornices and gaudy balavostri, were probably someone's idea of respecting their surroundings, by simply matching the decoration of the buildings by that of the buildings surrounding them. They're a living testament to that fact that truly contextual architecture must go well beyond feeble attempts at historicist decoration.

As for your final statement, it's been repeatedly said on these boards (but you must have ignored it every time), that had the knights not "[lost their] heads over hollow and irrelevant glitter in some foreign land", in their case it was Rome, which started the baroque, we wouldn't have the Valletta that we do today.

Raymond Sammut

Jan 27th 2009, 21:58

@ James Muscat

There is a clear contradiction in your two paragraphs.

In the first you say:

"...it would be wrong to rip down any buildings to be replaced by new ones. The same should of course apply to Valletta."

In the second:

"...it would be nice to see a building which respects its surroundings, while being magnificient in its own right."

Can you please explain in what way the Mintoffian 70s flats virtually on top of city gate, and those commercial rat holes beneath them, are magnificent in their own right?

Can you please provide at least one reason as to why these horrendous buildings, erected out of spite for Maltese heritage and only for political gain, should not be ripped down?

Why do we, people of contemporary Malta, continuously lose sight of the free founders of Valletta, and of the genius and baroque style of the Maltese military architect Glormu Cassar?

We lose our heads over hollow and irrelevant glitter in some foreign land. The least we can do is pay tribute to those who bequeathed to us the very little, but unique, that we have.

James Muscat

Jan 27th 2009, 18:50

a attard, The importance of historical authenticity however, shouldn't be compromised. The walled areas you spoke of (hopefully) reached our generation intact. In that respect, it would be wrong to rip down any buildings to be replaced by new ones. The same should of course apply to Valletta. In the case of the opera house site however, the site has unfortunately been too heavily damaged for a reconstruction to be viewed as authentic.

About those links I sent, I realised (after I posted them) that the interventions in some of those cases do look very radical, and that may have strayed from the point that I was trying to make. Subtelty and contemorary architecture can go hand in hand (as they did in Santiago de Compostela) and to that end, it would be nice to see a building which respects its surroundings, while being magnificient in its own right.

Paul Mizzi

Jan 27th 2009, 13:11

i challenge all contributors here to re-think and re-write their post and use the words "residents of valletta" somewhere. i'm just very very curious.

Joseph Schembri

Jan 27th 2009, 12:25

People keep calling Valletta a gem. There are areas which are, but just go to the Upper Barrakka and look left to see the ugly scars left by socialist functional architecture of the 1950s. Even before entering one can see, dominating the bastions, ugly social housing right on the city walls. Valletta is on the whole not a gem but a shameful mixture of baroque masterpieces and post war hysteria. I wonder what Piano has planned for the flats built almost on top of City gate.

Look at Mdina - there are additions dating back from as recently as the 60's but I am never ashamed to walk there with foreigners because everything was done not for its own sake (or the sake of some 'architect') but for that of the completeness of Mdina. Even though there are in Mdina styles varying from Moorish to Gothic to Baroque - everything was done comprehensively.

Valletta is a tiny city and it does not need a schizophrenic mixture of styles. Baroque has stood the test of time while Piano is, in my opinon, respected by the aestheetically challenged and intellectual wannabes, because he is expensive.

James Catania

Jan 27th 2009, 10:38

After reading through most of the posts, and agreeing with most as well. As usual all of us have our points in pro and con arguments, however I think as Mario Cilia pointed out, it's useless protesting, because we always (as a nation) tend to put the cart before the horse.

I am sure everyone has access to DIscovery Channel nowadays, and these kinds of national projects always start with a global architectural competition. then a firm is chosen based on the presented design. (In the process) giving very able Maltese architects a chance to work on a project of national importance. (the roads have nothing to do with this article).

I personally like Mr. Renzo Piano's work alot, however I would like for the proposed model to be as advertised as the Smart City model, also , 4 years !, come on !, why do we put up with this as if it is just fine !

a attard

Jan 26th 2009, 20:02

@ James Muscat

Thnks for links. One has to distinguish between historical centres and historical cities. Most walled historical centres (PART OF THE GREATER CITY) are in the vast majority of cases respected for their ambience and medival architecture and modern touches are not to be seen anywhere in most cases. There are numerous examples round Europe, York, Tallin Geneva and so on. Geneva was build round the walled city which is still preserved to this day with no modern touches but modern innovations happen outside the walls of course. Some cities have an old area (unwalled origins) which are also greatly respected when it comes to modernization. However lots of architectural innovations take place outside these areas which in Europe still take up the name of the origin of the Town. For this reason Valletta needs to be respected as such and innovations should be done outside the city walls and Valletta respected for what it is. Paris had much of its historical centre demolished soon after the revolution to make way for a more modern city we know today tho the few old quarters that remain are today greatly respected. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9B0DE0DE1F3BF932A25752C0A961948260

Joseph Brincat

Jan 26th 2009, 19:39

Piano, piano, Mr. Piano.
When you say that Valletta has a story to tell, you are saying that you know nothing about Valletta. Didn't Valletta tell you this story when you presented that shelfed plan some years ago for which, I imagine, you were well paid by this extravagant same goverment.
Was it not you who suggested that our public transport be hidden underground? That suggestion showed that you never went down to the ditch, because if you had , you would have smelled that aroma coming up the stairs leading to the Yellow Garage. Image how much more it would have been increased with all those transport workers and "gentlemen"
performing their duties down there.

Please give Maltese architects a chance, they know much more than you about Valletta, its people and way of life.
By the way, four years to finish the project is one big joke.

Raymond Sammut

Jan 26th 2009, 19:13

Am I correct to think that Piano is being chosen by the Gonzi government simply because Piano's services are being offered free of charge by the Italian government?

I stand to be corrected. Thank you.

Lisa Galea

Jan 26th 2009, 18:23

Could one elaborate more on this contradictory point.

Although he was considering all options for the opera house, Mr Piano said there would be no underground parking. “The more space you have for cars, the more cars you attract.”

If one wants to attract people to a project, one has to creating a parking space somwhere which is an acceptable size. As a regulatory body: what is the MEPA's stand on not creating parking. Or will the MEPA not be able to review Mr Piano's proposals, because he is a world famous and respected architect?

Marvin Mizzi

Jan 26th 2009, 17:57

We are in 2009, so 2009 design should be used. Valletta was build in 1566 adn not in 2006 and it shame to prtend that in wall acompact city to build in 2009 design it would ruine more than it is its landscape. To have a monster luike the present city gate we do not need to spend millions. Hands off our city!!!!

Raymond Sammut

Jan 26th 2009, 17:04

@ Jonathan Borg

Very clever, Mr Borg.

First you made your own comments, then politely asked everyone else to "see the results and than comment".

lawrence saliba

Jan 26th 2009, 16:15

The history of the Opera House is well revealed in this youtube link. Worth visiting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buY9j0IT9n0

Lets hope that the unfortunate past will not shadow the future of the Opera House. Let us keep the destiny of the Opera House a place where we could all enjoy a concerted melody acousted in a professionally designed opera house.

Joseph Vella

Jan 26th 2009, 15:35

If any one from the government has an ear to listen, he will hear a lot of jingling coming from people's pockets as all we have left are coins in our pockets and soon this noise will disappear as we will be taxed more to make up for the 60 million euros to be spent.

Mike Magri

Jan 26th 2009, 15:24

Ohh Yessss Renzo... We are and have been hearing a lot from our beloved City of Valletta..!!

Especially the tellings of the rambling noises of your firm`s share of euro 80 million PLUS project, rambling your way... ehhh...!!!

HOPE we finally get a finished project which Valletta has been crying out loud for, for over 60 years now....!!!

Mark Vella

Jan 26th 2009, 10:50

People we are building in 2009, it's the 21st century, we can't build something classical there as it would be false to do so. It should be clear to all people entering in Valletta that the building they are seeing is a new addition. If they see a copy of Barry's opera house they could get the impression that it's the original building, which is something we should not want to communicate. Yes I fully agree that we should have a 21st century building which should obviously respect the rest of our beautiful city and create a suitable contemporary monument for us. I look forward to seeing Piano's proposal.

Gerard Cassar

Jan 26th 2009, 10:20

The best contributions are those that involve politics ! Certain people cannot think anything but politics. A building for people to live in is an outrage,so they say, and these it is presumed are P.N. who take always the least occasion to try and refer to the L.P. cinically.
So those flats have to be pulled down. And construct what instead? Its a P.N. question.Go down and create a mandragio that would not be seen from the surface.
There are people with very short memory, they do not remember the entrance to Valletta, two very hig plain walls like going into a tunnel. That was the entrance to and exit from Valletta.

Mario Cilia

Jan 26th 2009, 10:06

Our comments are all useless (in fact so is this one). No one in this beloved Malta will ever take notice of what anyone is writing. You have the right to protest and comment yet someone else takes decisions for you and pays with your taxes. So just sit and watch Valletta being turned into a blasphemy and be brainwashed that you should feel proud that you have contributed with your taxes in financing this project. Oh another thing... this project will be finished in four years times, how convenient, exactly for next election‘s propaganda.

Charmaine Chetcuti

Jan 26th 2009, 09:36

modern? I hope it's nothing too extravagant. It should go with the style of the other building in Valletta. We do not want an eyesore (worse than it is now) in the sake of modern architecture. I also hope that the project submitted will be reviewed with an objective eye and not revered and approved no matter how it is, simply because of the architect's name.

Conrad Borg Manche

Jan 26th 2009, 02:22

I don't want to interfere with Mr Piano's intentions but I hope that he takes into consideration the environs of our capital city. I am sure that he is intelligent enough to consider the surroundings and not a second vroma will be done. This is not a painting which a painter can do with his thoughts and his likings whether modern or not, people can appreciate it or not and that’s it, this is our capital city gate that will have to stay there forever whether we like it or not. I think that it has to be synonymous with the Valletta's baroque architecture possibly with a modern touch. I would like to ask one question to the authorities. Had any consultation been done with Maltese experts on the matter or everything is left in Mr Piano’s hands.

An answer to Malcolm Spiteri. Valletta is full of signature buildings its better if you find a tourist guide so he can take you around.

Anthony Pace

Jan 26th 2009, 01:03

Professor Piano
Please can you convince the authorities that besides deserving the very best you can offer for our capital city, the public also expects a decent national infrastructure, which obviously includes decent roads. I just split a tyre in a crater opposite Nazzarenu church, Sliema. 320 days into this legislature and NOTHING has been done as far as roads are concerned. Isn’t this what ‘Product Malta’ is all about ? Minister, who's the bright spark who reports to you on this? surely someone is accountable. Let’s get our priorities right.

Ronnie Gauci

Jan 26th 2009, 01:01

@ Malcolm Spiteri

Valletta is not Madrid, Seville or Barcelona, Valletta is a small city, maybe the smallest World Capital enclosed within magnificient bastions, so it has to be built according to its style. In the same cities you mentioned where there are medieval buildings or quarters they didn't let any Renzo Piano built giant glass pyramids or cubes in the middle of everything but they found a nice park or a modern area for him to work. What would you think if you went to Rome and inside the Colosseum you'd find a huge modern building? I don't think you'd appreciate it.

I've seen some of Piano's works online and was literally disgusted about this choice as all he builds are glass houses and tents. The PM be warned that if Piano makes a qassata, as I predict, he will be held responsable by future generations and his predecessor Borg Olivier still is regarding City Gate.

A Borg

Jan 26th 2009, 00:38

Whatever happened to classical beauty? Valletta is a beautiful city which deserves an equally beautiful opera house - used solely for cultural and entertainment purposes and not for political reasons such as for parliament. I am afraid that we will regret having a modern style of architecture in the heart of our capital city. Just like in the fashion industry, the classic style is always in vogue and NEVER goes out of style. Please reconsider!

James Muscat

Jan 26th 2009, 00:31

@ a attard, the following links are a few examples of some contemporary interventions in historic cities, some of which are admittedly more respectful than others.

http://thediagramofeverything.com/galiciancentre.html

http://www.arcspace.com/architects/herzog_meuron/caixa/caixa.html

http://www.dezeen.com/2008/06/12/silver-building-by-dsdha/

http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/dancinghouse/index.htm

http://www.contemporist.com/2008/03/27/new-citroen-showroom-in-paris/




An important document called the vienna memorandum (see link below), by UNESCO (the same people who named Valletta a World Heritage Site), explicitly denounces the sort of neo-historial architecture which many people are trying to encourage(see point 21 in the link below). That is not to say that Unesco is always right, but that the philistines are not those who are encouraging contemporary architecture in Valletta (quite the opposite really).

http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-47-2.pdf

To everybody moaning about the roads, these are rainy times, and roads tend to get a little untidy, but that's no reason to ignore our cultural development. After all, would we rather be known as the generation who patched up Valletta's biggest urban lacuna, or that which spent all its money on roads?

Jessica DeBattista

Jan 25th 2009, 23:58

@Jonathan Borg:

From all the comments so far listed, yours make the most sense. Most of the rest are hysterical rantings.

Just to add my comment. I fully endorse that the gaping space of Freedom square is an eyesore. (No character to it). Let’s see what Mr. Renzo Piano will be proposing instead.

A Coppini

Jan 25th 2009, 23:54

A public building with no underground parking facilities.... I wonder if MEPA will issue a permit

carmen caruana

Jan 25th 2009, 23:53

Jien nahseb tkun idea tajba li kieku natu faccata isbah lil bieb il-belt. Attwalment hemm arlogg biex juri kemm ghad baqa zmien ghal xi okkazjoni tal-kumpanija melita, ma nahsibx li hija faccata ideali ghal belt kapitali ta' pajjiz!!

Scerri S

Jan 25th 2009, 23:44

...and I fully agree with you Mr. Raymond Sammut.
The flats at the entrance to Valletta are just plain horrible. A tasteless monstrosity occupying half of the square. If the square will not be cleared, at least they should be replaced by a deserving building. Bland apartments at the very entrance to the the capital city - no way!

D Bailey

Jan 25th 2009, 23:40

@Malcolm Spiteri

I have seen Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences in person, it is truly impressive. But it works because it's built in a modern area, isolated from the old city centre. And that is why personally I would never consider modern style for such a prominent location in Valletta. I would simply built an Opera house in neo-classical, such as Lyon's opera house (Opéra Nouvel , designed by Jean Nouvel, who I think is much better than Piano).

Paul Portelli

Jan 25th 2009, 23:19

"so if Mdina had to be bombed , we would build it in a modern way"

That's exactly what they DIDN'T do in Dubrovnik after the 1991 artillery damage, & coincidentally, you can also see the sea from anywhere inside that city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubrovnik

Dubronik, like Valletta, is also on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Site

I really need to go back there for another 10 minutes to refresh my memory of the place & what a world heritage site is truly supposed to be. "Modern was the only way to go" is surely not it.

Malcolm Spiteri

Jan 25th 2009, 22:51

To all my compatriots still stuck in pre-medieval times:

VALLETTA NEEDS A SIGNATURE BUILDING

just like other cities in the US, Australia, Japan, Holland, Spain, Greece, Denmark, France, Italy and elsewhere which compete with us for quality upmarket tourism .

FRANK GEHRY designed the Guggenheim museum of Bilbao and Barcelona's giant monumental fish at its waterfront.
NORMAN FOSTER designed Bilbao's glass-clad stations and Barcelona's telecommunications tower.
RICHARD ROGERS designed Madrid's new modern airport.
SANTIAGO CALATRAVA designed Seville's impressive Alamillo bridge, Valencia's famous City of Arts and Sciences and Bilbao's new dove-shaped airport.

... and RENZO PIANO will design Valletta's new stunning entrance.

We NEED to be a modern, forward-looking and confident nation, and there's no better way to demonstrate that through a new signature building in our Capital.

It will be an attraction in its own right, and a symbol of a much needed feel-good factor.

Bring it on!

(I do not vote PN, and yes, our road network needs a lot of seeing into, urgently.)

Raymond Sammut

Jan 25th 2009, 22:41

I so fully agree with Lorry Coleiro.

Unless the "Socialist building" on the left of City Gate (as we walk in) is totally scraped off, then Piano will be putting precious tax payers' money on bad money. That building is so extremely vulgar and offensive, in Maltese one need not say more than "ghaqta bicca minn djulekk, u m'ghandekx xi tridu".

With the City Gate project, regardless of what the "plan" may be, you simply cannot make things better unless that building is first scrapped off all the way to the walls and all the way down to the ground.

By my reckoning, if you were to start from ground zero, incorporating the three main areas, namely, (1) opera house site, (2) freedom square (right of city gate), and (3) socialist revolting building (left of city gate) area, you would have enough room to re-build the Opera House, build a Parliament House, and build also new Law Courts. Each would be two storeys high, not higher than the bastions.

The present Law Courts could be converted to a cultural centre that would include a community library. Maltese architects could very easily put all these designs together.

N.Grima

Jan 25th 2009, 22:13

I think it's unfair to mention the Georges Pompidou of all his works... it's a project from 30 years ago - different times and different phase of the architect's life. It was also one of his first "big" projects, which he didn't even do on his own, so there was an incentive to stand out of the crowd. Not all his works are so extravagant... e.g. the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Furthermore, none of these "famous" projects were in an ambient similar to ours, most being either in the open or in dirty cities full of graffiti.

Personally I'm not a fan of Renzo Piano's exterior choices, though I'm amazed by his interiors and how much space he can create (e.g. the NYT Building). And Malta so needed an opera house... an area in which Piano is an expert - I'd have loved to see the exterior built to the original Royal Opera House... but that's life! All things considered, Piano's not that bad... and definately a much better option than certain Maltese famous architects around (great respect to the non-famous ones though!) Some objectivity people!

j azzopardi

Jan 25th 2009, 21:59

yes local architects and engineers , take a look at our roads and the buildings in sliema and bugibba, we should really be proud of them, may i suggest to piano to take a crash course in a architectural course while he is here

p.piscitelli

Jan 25th 2009, 21:58

no doubt that architect piano is one of the best,but i think that our architects should be given a chance.i think that every maltese architect should have the possibility to present a project then and only then one can decide which is the best for our lovely capitl city.

Andrew Camilleri

Jan 25th 2009, 21:42

Goodness. So I'm assuming that some of you want to drop down half the building in Valletta to open it up. Come on! Renzo Piano is a genius. Whether or not the Royal Opera House should be converted into Parliament building is, granted, a bone of contention. But Valletta needs a breath of fresh air which quality modern architecture can provide.

The Eiffel Tower appalled the Parisians, for example. As the the Pyramid in front of the Louvre. New and old can blend together wonderfully if this is done in a tasteful manner.

Ronnie Gauci

Jan 25th 2009, 21:25

@ Lorry Coleiro

And what about that Nationalist city gate??

lgalea

Jan 25th 2009, 21:22

RENZO PIANO WE DO NOT NEED YOUR MODERNISM IN VALLETTA.

SHAME ON THE GONZIPN FOR COMMISSIONING A FOREIGN ARCHITECT WHEN THERE AND MALTESE ARCHITECTS WHO KNOW MALTA AND WOULD CARE FOR MALTA BETTER THEN PIANO.

SHAME, SHAME AND SHAME AGAIN.

edward bartolo
very good suggestion.
Astrid, SOS, please start gathering signatures for a referendum.

Clint Camilleri
Would you fit a television etc in a classic car? That would be blasphemy as would a modern building in Valletta. They used to say that Valletta is a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen. If the Government gets its way and Piano's project goes ahead they will start saying that Valletta WAS a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen but was ruined by Gonzipn and Piano's modernism.

"Freedom Square was too empty and Valletta was about compression and intensity."
This says it all. The name Freedom square and the fact that it is used for Labour manifestations cannot be digested by Gonzipn and PM2.

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME ON YOU PIANO

Lorry Coleiro

Jan 25th 2009, 21:12

‘’Freedom Square was too empty and Valletta was about compression and intensity.’’

According to this statement by Mr Piano , those brutal Socialist building are going to remain there because they contribute to the compression of the city!

Commissioning Piano on this project was a great mistake as also is his statement.
He must be given Tignie, Portomaso or perhaps Smart City -but not Valletta.

Valletta is no more a military city, thus the city needs a huge open squares as one enters along the magnificent bastions.

edward bartolo

Jan 25th 2009, 21:09

OOPS:
"It simply does not make sense democratically, to bring in the idol of modern architecture and pretend the people, who ultimately will pay for the project, to listen as if this human being has to say."

This sentence should be corrected to:

"It simply does not make sense democratically, to bring in the idol of modern architecture and pretend the people, who ultimately will pay for the project, to listen as if this human being's opinion were inconstestible."

Jonathan Borg

Jan 25th 2009, 21:04

Piano is a master in his field. Let him work, see the results and than comment (rather than judge). A suggestion - This is a national project. Perhaps national consensus may be sought at the end through a referendum.

Jonathan Borg

Jan 25th 2009, 21:02

A dynamic city is a city that lives, that offer opprtunities, vibe, pleasure, culture. Valletta is slowly losing all that. It needs new life - be regenerated again.

To those who proclaim that Valletta is a Baroque city - please think again. It was developed in the late 16th century and continued to be transformed ever since. It changed also during the time of the Order. Most of the additions and alterations that the city experienced till the post-war times were done fashionably and admirably. Various styles were employed during the passage of time. The city that we experience today is the sum of all of its parts.

Without going into the merits of the Opera House site - Today's architecture should reflect today's society, its needs and aspirations. Producing a purely baroque building (or neo-classical to what it matters) may not satisfy the needs and functionality of today's people.

To those who are in favour of ultra-modern and contemporary architecture - In spite of what I have written above, Valletta is a gem. Any modern architecture shall respect its surroundings and not dominate it to the point of oblivion.

Dr Emmy Bezzina,B.A.,LL.D.,Dip.S.Th.

Jan 25th 2009, 21:02

THIS IS A SERVILE MENTALITY BEING COMPENSATED OUT OF THE TAXPAYERS` FUNDS...WE DO NOT NEED THIS PIANO WHEN WE HAVE VERY COMPETENT ARCHITECTS WHO COULD DO THE JOB MUCH BETTER AND A FAR LESS EXPENDITURE EXERCISE.TO COME TO MALTA PIANO`S TRIP & ACCOMMODATION WAS UNDOUBTEDLY PAID FOR AT OUR EXPENSE - PIANO SHOULD VISIT ST JAMES` CAVALIER WHERE THERE IS CURRENTLY ON EXHIBIT A FANTASTIC EXHIBIT OF MALTESE ARCHITECTS` MASTERPIECES.HE WILL LEARN SOMETHING THEREFROM AND WE DO NOT NEED HIM TELLING US WHERE OUR NATIONAL SERVANTS SHOULD SIT - THEY SIT WHERE THE PEOPLE TELL THEM TO SIT & IF THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THEM TO SIT THERE,THEN THEY WILL NOT SIT THERE - OK Mr.PIANO AND DO NOT BE SERVILE TO WHOEVER BROUGHT YOU HERE - WE DO NOT NEED YOU TO TELL US WHERE OUR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD BE - SO KINDLY GET THAT MESSAGE.

VALLETTA HAS A STYLE ALL ONTO ITS OWN - THE SEA CAN BE VIEWED VERTICALLY DOWN - IF YOU LOOKED UP OFCOURSE YOU COULD NOT SEE THE SEA: THE PEOPLE WERE NOT CONSULTED SO PLEASE GO BACK & LET US DO IT!

a sciberras

Jan 25th 2009, 21:00

@clint camilleri.
so if Mdina had to be bombed , we would build it in a modern way. Valletta is what it is because it is a fortified city built for a purpose. Mr Prime minister, i hope you dont want to go down in history as the man who scared Valletta as happened back in 1964 with city gate.You know what the people want.

Cassar John

Jan 25th 2009, 20:49

Yes Let's go for modern and change Valletta's looks to St Lucia's!!!!

edward bartolo

Jan 25th 2009, 20:43

The Maltese people will pay for the project and as such, they have the right for their opinion to be heard. Why not let the people choose which plan they want in a referendum? It simply does not make sense democratically, to bring in the idol of modern architecture and pretend the people, who ultimately will pay for the project, to listen as if this human being has to say. Notwithstanding his fame, this architect is a modern architect with modern tastes. These will ultimately continue to be in dissonance with the style of a fortified city. Do we want to continue spending our people's money irrationally?

Let us not be impressed by fame. What counts is the architect's style, not his fame. Protected buildings, irrespective of being private, MUST respect their original sytle. Is the government above the law to be allowed to alter a unique historical jewel? I dare say, the government must abide by the law just like everybody.

Tony Caruana

Jan 25th 2009, 20:32

Perhaps this time Mr Piano will remeber that there is a bridge under the Bridge.

Clint Camilleri

Jan 25th 2009, 20:04

@ marvin mizzi

Mr Piano said well that modern is the only solution. We are living in 2009 and any intervention should be seen as done in 2009 not in the Baroque age. This is a simple concept and philosophy that is argued by many restoration philosophers and writers such as Cesare Brandi. But as usual we Maltese think we know more then anyone else.

We are in 2009, so 2009 design should be used, 2009 materials should be used and forget all about the Baroque. Architecture must move with time and not get stuck in the 17th century.

W Edgoose

Jan 25th 2009, 20:03

Is it not high time we sorted our roads first, we have been in the EU for a few years now but we still have 3rd world roads. Its an utter disgrace!!

D Bailey

Jan 25th 2009, 20:02

@Etienne Ciantar

How can you call the George Pompidou centre a masterpiece? It looks like an unfinished building with scaffolding all around! His work has, in fact, been called "a hodgepodge of tents, greenhouses and scaffolding".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Georges_Pompidou

philip pace

Jan 25th 2009, 19:57

What Mr.Piano stated about to listen to the lot of stories that Valletta has is nothing extraordinary as these stories have been there for a long time.
What we need somebody to hear them, write them down and publish them in a book.
I am looking forward for his brief and I take it that as the public (not the Governemnt) is going to finance this, the public has the option to approve or not!

sarah vella

Jan 25th 2009, 19:54

Dear Dr Piano,

Malta is a very tiny place and has been congested for the last 20 years with overbuilding especially highrise developments surrounded by overpriced, overcrowded and crammed 'apartments' which we have to look at constantly.
I don't know what voices you were hearing from Valletta but the people of Malta are telling you that we need spaces to breathe and we need them urgently. We do not have a lot of piazzas in Malta so please do not destroy the little fresh air and clear open space there is in Valletta. Do not box us in. After all if they had the choice sardines would not want to be packed!

Marvin Mizzi

Jan 25th 2009, 19:33

Valletta is a baroque city and that is what we want no modern please ....... or a we cans still remain with the moster w around haveat city we would not need to spend money no to modern!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ivan Attard

Jan 25th 2009, 19:29

Forget all the hyper talk Mr. Piano. We have no money to spend on such extravagance now. What we need are some civil and morally acceptable roads to use everyday.
Tell that to Gonzi 'cos he is not listening.

a attard

Jan 25th 2009, 19:25

'Modern' within an impressive compact walled city is a clash to any eye in my humble opinion. I can never recall in an historical centre in any city in Europe (at least the ones I visited including in Italy) that have some kind of modern touch!!!. To the contrary the historical centres (such as Valletta serves the greater harbour built up area) are restored and the medieval ambience highly respected and preserved. Modern touch outside the walls is fine but NOT in Valletta.......please!.......I thought the present monstrosity was going to be reversed.... SOS

Etienne Ciantar

Jan 25th 2009, 19:22

I have every respect for Mr Piano's architectural genius. After all he is responsible for grand masterpieces such as Centre George Pompidou in Paris and Parco della Musica in Rome. But I hope that his modern tastes are not overdone and will blend well with our capital's intense baroque.

John Micallef

Jan 25th 2009, 19:09

Architect Piano should also consider including the revamp of the roads in Malta once his at it . 80 million to be spent on this job ! Great ! Lets have a great entrance but the roads that lead to it look like Baghdad !!!!!!! (well there is a good chance Baghdad roads are better !)