Rebirth or ruin in the city of Valletta? (1)

I applaud the professional schematic designs presented by Renzo Piano for Valletta. These should set the standard of presentations for government projects.

I think the new proposals for Valletta demonstrate a visionary approach which accommodate the uses that Mr Piano was requested to provide accommodation for. The Parliament building in its volumetric shapes evokes the massiveness of the nearby bastions which will be exposed. It is a building which is inviting passers-by to enter to view the exhibitions at the ground floor at the same time affording a glimpse through the central courtyard of the bastions. I am not so sure about the external treatment with the screen wall being constructed in stone as structural issues about how it will be supported at the upper floors arise in view of its weight.

The replacement of City Gate by a breach in the bastion wall is an intelligent solution which demonstrates the massiveness of the bastion walls which at the moment cannot be appreciated. The second breach in the bastion wall linking the lift approach from the ditch below should in my view be eliminated because it is competing for attention with the main approach and weakens the visual massiveness of the bastion wall itself. A link from the lift can be provided either through a small tunnel in the bastion wall or through a platform linking the lift to the main bridge approaching Valletta.

The whole plan needs to be accompanied by a traffic plan to resolve the traffic issues that arise because of the project eliminating the current car approach to Valletta over the existing gate.

Also a number of parking spaces are being lost and I wonder whether it is intended to replace these somewhere else or is it a conscious decision to restrict traffic entering Valletta with resultant environmental benefits.

I like the approach of utilising the remains of the Opera House in an open multi-cultural theatre as it preserves the collective memory of the original building. Integrating the old with the new and furnishing the theatre with high grade technology for sound and image presentation makes the venue suitable for cultural events.

There also exits the opportunity to explore the possibility of erecting a screen wall facing the shopping arcade that remains at ground floor on Freedom Square, mitigating its visual impact. One last comment: I do not see the benefit of demolishing the police station as the space being created is a dead space. Moreover, the resultant slab office block corner with Zachary Street looks incongruous.

Well done to Mr Piano for formulating a holistic approach to this focal point in Valletta. I am sure the investment being made will reap benefits and the sooner the scheme comes to fruition the better.