Fiona Galea Debono
Valletta entrance project about civic pride - Renzo Piano
World-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano sounds out Valletta... He arrived yesterday to revisit the entrance to the capital city, which the government has commissioned him to design. Photo: Jason Borg.
The world-renowned Italian architect, commissioned to design the entrance to Valletta, is pleased the project is "public" and "clear" - free from the commercial element and the "compromise and confusion" of the original brief.
Renzo Piano, who was in Malta yesterday to revisit the area, the first project having been shelved some 20 years ago, harped on the fact that it was a "public project about civic pride and civic sense", incorporating culture too.
The previous project, which dates back to the late 1980s and fell through by 1992 due to growing criticism, attempted to "combine the sacred and the profane", but ended up with an overdose of the latter, he said.
"Without wanting to sound arrogant, we are lucky to be in a position to only work on what we believe in and we prefer public buildings to commercial, built from public finances that are being spent on the community."
In keeping with the civic raison d'être, Mr Piano said having Parliament in Freedom Square brought in a public function and "made sense".
The brief is to turn the old Royal Opera House ruins into a multi-purpose building that would host Parliament and also have a cultural role. But its relocation to the site from the President's Palace is currently the most controversial issue of the project, and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday said the use of the building was yet to be decided.
"Culture should be part of the project too, having the same values as Parliament. The latter is about administering the country and the former about fertilising city life," Mr Piano said.
Speaking at the Hotel Phoenicia yesterday evening, Mr Piano could not yet shed much light on the way Valletta's entrance would look when the project is completed in four years, but said it would not be just a beautification process - it would be an exercise in bringing life.
Together with Renzo Piano Building Workshop senior partner Bernard Plattner, he toured the entrance to Valletta - "a great city of great value" - to refresh the thoughts that have been brewing for three months, and be aware of dimensions, proportions and uses.
"If you have an ear to listen, Valletta has lots of stories to tell..."
Those whispers are telling him that the baroque city is not about big, open spaces, but about "intensity and compression". Freedom Square is too empty, Mr Piano said.
"When you enter, you should not find an open space; neither should you find shops, but something culturally and civically important."
Unhappy with the word traditional, Mr Piano said "modern is the only way to go, but it does not mean you have to be aggressive".
The logic of modernity was based on building layers that represented different times, without destroying them and respecting what was good, he explained.
Mr Piano said Valletta had remained in his heart since he had embarked on the original project. The connection lay in "romantic" notions: the Mediterranean Sea, which the architect could relate to, being born and bred in Genoa that "shares the same waters". He saw the sea as a linking element, rather than dividing.
It was an "incredible sensation" that the sea was visible from almost anywhere in Valletta, he said.
Filling the ditch with water was not really an option, but Mr Piano entertained the idea of turning it into another way to enter the civic centre, whereby visitors would walk up along the "fantastic" walls and a lift could elevate them to Republic Street.
Building an underground car park was not on the cards either - "the more space for vehicles, the more you attract".
As yet, Mr Piano was still considering any possible options for the rebuilding of the Opera House site, and as regards the materials he would use, he said it would be hard to escape stone, but it was too early to go into that.
Mr Piano said Valletta was the Manhattan of the 16th century - "although that would be a sacrilege: It is Manhattan that copied Valletta!"
He arrived yesterday morning and leaves today. Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt, who was also at the press conference, said the government was honoured that the acclaimed architect had accepted the commission to revisit Valletta's entrance and rebuild a part of Maltese history that has been an "open wound" for so long.
The brief includes intervention on City Gate, the bridge, ditch and the old Opera House site, which should house Parliament and also have a cultural function. It does not, however, include intervention on the flats in Freedom Square, but could possibly lightly touch the arcades, Dr Gatt said.
Mr Piano's scheme should be presented by April and the entire project completed in four years.
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Adrian Cardona
Jan 27th 2009, 09:37
How boring and provincial most of you are. Renzo Piano is up there with the likes of Foster, Stirling and Kalatrava. We should be honoured that one of the world's top architects is giving us the chance to perhaps put Valletta on the world map again, instead of boringly copy what was there before. One project can single-handedly regenerate a city, look at Bilbao or Valencia. Look at the modern architecture in Barcelona and be amazed at how graceful it is, and how it enhances the city's skyline. Cities evolve as time goes by, and so does it's architecture, if done well, otherwise you might as well close it off and call it a museum.
Why don't you wait for the plans to be published first before automatically dismissing everything?? I'm sure Barry must have encountered the same resistance when he came up with the Opera House plans, just like when a certain Gustav Eiffel proposed building an iron structure (gasp, horror!!)in the middle of the French capital...can anyone imagine Paris without it now?
lgalea
Jan 27th 2009, 08:44
Renzo Piano, together with Gonzipn you will be remembered in history as the architect who ruined the City built by gentlemen for gentlemen.
Joseph V. Grech
Jan 27th 2009, 02:29
In this article Mr. Piano says that 'having Parliament in Freedom Square brought in a public function and "made sense"' so presumably his brief includes using the Opera House site to site the Parliament - what the present administration said should be done - much to the consternation of most Maltese. But in another article in this same issue of The Times readers are told that the Prime Minister has declared that the decision to use the site to house Parliament is not ''cast in stone'' - ie. that that ill-fated, irresponsible, ludicrous decision can still be corrected. Where exactly do we stand? Will Mr. Piano be told exactly what to do - turn the old Opera House into a Parliamentary Building or into something else? And what exactly is that something else? The public needs to know where exactly we stand in this issue.
I know Mr. Piano is a great architect and respect him - but he overdoes things sometimes - like he did with the Pompidou Centre in Paris - which is misplaced, ugly and fast becoming a scar on the architecture of this beautiful city. Please Mr. Piano spare Valletta similar ''overdoses'' of unrestrained architectural design!
Jessica DeBattista
Jan 26th 2009, 23:26
@Joe Cassar:
How preposterous!!!
A reproduction (no matter how faithful) of Caravaggio, or of anybody else, for that matter, would never come close to having the same artistic value as the original.
So think again. Maybe you won’t feel so certain about having the old city gate and the opera house reconstructed.
Value resides in the original.
Alfred Camilleri
Jan 26th 2009, 20:48
Joe Cassar. No, Piano is not aware that the vast majority of the Maltese want the old city gate and Barry's opera house back, for tjhe simple reason that they don't. Why do you want to impose your ideas on the Maltese population?
Charles Sammut. I suppose you consider yourself a world authority on town planning and design, by the dogmatic way you express yourself.
To those who keep harping on for the rebuilding of Barry's opera house, I say, at least be consistent. Why dismiss Piano's design because of its modernity and then crave for Barry's, when this neo-classical building did not harmonize with Valletta's baroque nature.
Andrew Cassar
Jan 26th 2009, 18:38
@Charles Sammut
We are discussing what to build instead of a ruined theatre (which, by the way, was not built in a baroque style) and an ugly 1960s square and gate and not of demolishing anything.
If you build a visitor centre for Hagar Qim you don't build it in a faux temple style! Just as the Knights built in their style, and the british in their style, in 2009 we built in 2009-style. And getting the best arthitect of the time is a bonus. Mind you, they did the right thing in the 1960s to built a 1960 style gate, but they did not choose a world-class architect . If they did it would probably make us proud and we would not touch it.
Modern architecture must always keep in mind the baroque architecture of Valletta, just as they did in Coventry. When the gothic Coventry cathedral was bombed they did not built a replica, instead they built an incredible ultra-modern cathedral but with gothic in mind! Unfortunately when Barry built the theatre he completely ignored Valletta's baroque heritage.
sarah vella
Jan 26th 2009, 15:46
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!
Joe Fountain
Jan 26th 2009, 15:33
Whilst I am all for a modern building designed by an important international architect
(though I would not like to see him being given carte blanche simply because he is an important international architect) i simply can no see how the building can house parliament and be public at the same time. I recently went to visit the old palace in Valletta - which was open to all when I was a child - only to find that bits of the garden have been cordoned off, with no access to the public. Can we not have civic pride without politics being involved??
Mark J Galea (mj)
Jan 26th 2009, 15:21
I don't want to sound arrogant. I just want to point out that life goes on and it's useless to reminisce about the past. Barry's opera house is gone. It was 'replaced' by a hole, and now it's time to move on.
Essentially, what the let's-rebuild-Barry's-Opera-House-party is saying is akin to asking Salvador Dali` to copy a painting that was done by an average artist before him. No Renzo Piano, or any Architect worth his/her salt, would ever agree to copy someone else's sketch. Besides, this is now being built in 2009 to address the realities and the exigencies of 2009.
I think that Piano's original sketch in the 1990's was a work of a genius - he created a 'door without a door'. There was the continuation of the 'porta reale' but now that life has evolved and that the City doesn't need to close its doors, there was Paino's open alternative. This is not to mention the aesthetic impact that the bastions' thickness would leave on passers by.
But then again, the snob in me reminds me that junk tv tops the charts in Malta; so why do I bother?
David muscat
Jan 26th 2009, 15:06
Come on llet's not do the same mistake over and over again. The opera has been down since the early 40s. how many of you can remember actually seeing this building (not in photo).
Has anybody ever had a look aroung european cities eg. Leopold Museum in Vienna's museums quartier, a contempory structure that fits almast perfectly the classical surrounding, let Piano give his plans and then we can judge.
In this way at least there will be somthing better then a parking there!
Charles Sammut
Jan 26th 2009, 13:40
@ David Wain
Extrapolating your logic, we should bulldoze Valletta and build a modern city because baroque is no longer in vogue, or as you chose to express it, baroque has been consigned to the dustbin of time.
What irks me immensely is that the PN in general and Dr. Gonzi in particular have always projected themselves as open to dialogue. It's nothing but a sham. Hearing and listening are not the same.
P Debattista
Jan 26th 2009, 13:14
This project is long overdue and should have been done much earlier than this, if only for the ignorance of the majority of the Maltese population.
The only part which I am strongly against is keeping those horrendous flats on Freedom Square. As one highly controversial person once said (and rightly so in this case): Approaching Valletta to see those ugly flats is like entering a beautiful villa only to be greeted by the toilet!!!
Evarist Saliba
Jan 26th 2009, 13:06
I am one who had objected on a number of points to the original Piano plans. This time around I see a more sensible approach, something which Piano himself acknowledges. Let us wait for developments before we start shooting at imaginary targets.
May I take the opportunity to suggest that the new building need not follow the exact footprint of the old opera house since Freedom Sqare allows for some expansion to meet, say, the requirements of a modern theatre, which one may call an opera house.
The possibility of locating parliament in the Main Guard with an extention behind it should alsobe explored.
Joe Cassar
Jan 26th 2009, 12:59
Mr David Wain is confusing artistic value with monetary value. A reproduction of a destroyed Caravaggio would have a low monetary value but, if it was a faithful reproduction, the artistic value would be little less than the original.
In the same way, if the old city gate and the opera house were reconstructed, theier grace and beauty would be as great s the original.
In any case, this is all irrelevant. The Maltese people have made it clear, time and time again, that they want their gate and opera house back, as original. Nobody - but nobody - has the right to ignore their wishes and set hi own priorities ahead of those of the vast majority of the people.
Emmanuel Marmara'
Jan 26th 2009, 12:56
I totally agree with..ALEX SPITERI..EDWARD BARTOLO...JOHN SPITERI.....STEVE ROGERS....AND JOE CASSAR....Please Mr.R.Piano and Dr. A.Gatt step aside and forget about your unwanted ideas and which goes totally against the wish of the Maltesepeople. It's our heritage not yours..We have more than enough so called civic pride and civic sence buildings and projects..
And by the way I said it before and say it again..W e have more than a few local bright and professional Maltese Architects who can do the job.
Marvin Mizzi
Jan 26th 2009, 12:54
Unhappy with the word traditional, Mr Piano said "modern is the only way to go, but it does not mean you have to be aggressive".
Mr.Piano you may be a great architect but Valletta is ours and to not dare to ruin it !!!!!!!!!!!
A.J. Anastasi
Jan 26th 2009, 12:46
Now that Renzo Piano was in Valletta, let’s wait and see with what he crops up!
We should not jump into conclusions without even knowing what plans are going to be presented.
These plans should be presented by April of this year, and then we would have the clear picture of how Valletta would actually look like.
I have no doubt that Renzo Piano is the right man for this job and perhaps most of the critics of today would eventually regret in having spoken too early!
Time will tell.
AJA.
..
Joseph Agius
Jan 26th 2009, 12:38
Why we Maltese are so naive, why we patheticly continue to call our capital a baroque city, it was once but now no more. Have you seen the skyline of the city, have you seen the extra stories and penthouses being built. Have you seen facadeism, that is leaving only the old facade and demolish the interiors like what happened to the house near the President's Palace or in strait street.
Have you seen the demolishing of authentic old facades which once adorned shops. Now they are all made of glass,steel and plastic. Have you seen the removal of the authentic old stones either destroyed, trenched by government authorities to pass cables or put asphalt on them. Have you seen the installation of gold , silver aluminium and a/c's on the facade. If these things do not exist than you can call Valletta a Baroque City. I wonder what happened to UNESCO.
Moreover stop moaning on Piano. Decision had been taken by GonziPN and his spinners and we ordinary Maltese do not have any say in it. We only have a say once every five years. And if it was MuscatPL's decision he would have acted the same as GonziPN.
Andrew Cassar
Jan 26th 2009, 12:27
@ David Wain
I agree totally with you. Love Picasso or not, Malta would be better off having a tiny Picasso sketch than having a reproduction of a Caravaggio.
Our Caravaggios, Valletta, the three cities and the temples are the only masterpieces we have on our island. For the last 300 years....nothing, zilch!!! One can never say that Barry is a world-renowned architect.....while Renzo Piano is (together with Norman FOster) the best known architect of our times. So an original Piano vs a Barry reproduction.... the choice is clear!!
Remember that the Eiffel tower was hated by parisians....not they can't live without it. So lets give Mr Piano the liberty an artist deserves and Malta will be rewarded.
David Wain
Jan 26th 2009, 11:32
Charles Sammut, your point exactly...... nobody would have asked Picasso to paint a Caravaggio in his time. Anyone who painted like Caravaggio in the 20th century has long been consigned to the dustbin of time, while Picasso is regarded as possibly the greatest visual artist ever to grace this earth. Incidentally, there must have been many so-called connoisseurs who regarded Picasso work as monstrosities, not that i am equating Piano's ability with Picasso's genius, but you get the point.
It would not make sense re-building the opera house as it was since its artistic value would be zilch, just like any reproduction of a destroyed Caravaggio would.
Alex Spiteri
Jan 26th 2009, 11:13
we don't need world famous architects to design this project. just build the entrance as it once was and the opera house as in barry's plans. anything different from the original mater-pieces would only result in another rape of our capital city!
edward bartolo
Jan 26th 2009, 10:48
As I said in the other related thread, a private owner of an old protected house, must abide by the law and keep with the original plans, and here, we are talking about private property! The government is not above the law to stain our city with a modern monster. World fame or not, this architect, is one with modern ideas. These are unsuitable for our city.
John Spiteri
Jan 26th 2009, 10:27
Mr. Piano undoubtedly is a good architect - however he cannot beat Barry's original design. so please spare us some taxes and just give us the old opera house back.
Charles Sammut
Jan 26th 2009, 10:23
"In keeping with the civic raison d'être, Mr Piano said having Parliament in Freedom Square brought in a public function and "made sense"."
He who pays the piper calls the tune.
"Unhappy with the word traditional, Mr Piano said "modern is the only way to go, but it does not mean you have to be aggressive"."
This gives the whole game away. "Modern" is the only way he knows. It is like asking Picasso to paint a Caravaggio. Not a clue. There is not one of Mr Piano's creations which fits in Valletta.
I have seen oil rigs with better aesthetics, and functionality, than some of his monstrosities.
Steve Rogers
Jan 26th 2009, 09:46
Yes Mr. Piano its allabout civic pride. The government should have found a local Maltese architect to design Valletta!
Joe Cassar
Jan 26th 2009, 09:43
"Valletta was the Manhattan of the 16th century "??
Is Mr Piano aware that the vast majority of the Maltese people simply want their old city gate back and an opera house which, externally at least, is like the one we lost?