Design contest for Ġgantija temples launched
A design contest ‘Enhancing the visitor experience in the Ġgantija Heritage Park World Heritage Site’ has been launched by Heritage Malta.
This forms part of the €9.2 million Archaeological Heritage Conservation Project, 85 percent of which is co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and which includes works on three sites - the Tarxien Temples, the Ġgantija Heritage Park in Xagħra and St Paul’s Catacombs in Rabat.
The aim of the €2.5million project at the Ġgantija Heritage Park is to present an organised and pleasant experience, to the some 150,000 people who visited the temples each year.
The project also aims at highlighting the landscape setting of the temples, mitigating past interventions which had a negative impact.
The expected outcome includes the construction of an ‘interpretation centre’, an ‘exit point’ (including a souvenir shop and other basic amenities), as well as pathways to link the interpretation centre to the temples, and the temples to the exit point.
It also has to include the rehabilitation and landscaping of the Ġgantija Heritage Park, including the restoration and rebuilding of around 200 metres of rubble wall.
All design proposals had to give foremost importance to the respect and safeguarding of the outstanding universal value of thetemples and their setting, as well as the impact on the surrounding urban context.
The closing date for submissions December 16. It is planned that results would be announced on December 19 on www.heritagemalta.org/erdf032 . All entries will be exhibited in Gozo between December and January 13 and at Heritage Malta’s head office in Merchant’s Street, Valletta between January 18 and February 21.
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F.Chini
Oct 23rd 2009, 09:44
I like the basic idea of the contest. But $200 to submit a project? Why?
Also, considering that the plan must include:
- the rehabilitation and landscaping of the Heritage Park
- the construction of an ‘interpretation centre’
- an ‘exit point’ (including a souvenir shop and other basic amenities)
- the pathways to link all of the above
Isn't 2 months ( actually less) a very limited amount of time to submit a plan?
Nonetheless I hope that this initiative will be a success.
Jesmond Micallef
Oct 22nd 2009, 21:37
Absolutely not bad at all, considering it is the worlds oldest free standing building !! What pride and joy to read such news.
May I humbly ask what about the Brockdorf Circle nearby ? Would it be part of the park ?
Being a native of Tarxien, I' m glad to read that the Tarxien Temple is also part of the package.
Cool, well done............Go for it !!!!!
J. Tonna
Oct 22nd 2009, 18:32
The English saying goes 'A little knowledge is a danerous thing'. But how more dangerous are those who know nothing and pretend to know everything.
Janet Bayes
Oct 22nd 2009, 17:44
Well for goodness sake!! 200 euros to enter a competition to design a place that will be funded by european money!! So what will the entry fees for the competition be used for??Winners and losers alike will have paid. Will the winner get the money? I cannot for the life of me even begin to understand why it costs to submit a competition entry. I would imagine that the exhibition here in Gozo will need a small broom cupboard space to put it in - - but I imagine we would be expected, as members of the public, to pay to have a look??
Best to think again heritage malta. LONG AND HARD!!!
DVella
Oct 22nd 2009, 17:30
Let's hope that this attempt at a design competition and implementing the winning proposal is slightly more successful than the sadly missed opportunity presented by the excellent proposals submitted in an earlier similar competition for Hagar-Qim which was totally wasted throught sheer stupidity and complacency of the responsible authorities ! ! !
victor pulis
Oct 22nd 2009, 17:21
Why not save time and money and go for the successful design of the Mnajdra and Hagar Qim visitor centre? it blends so well with the temples!! What's good enough for Malta is good enough for Gozo!
James Spiteri
Oct 22nd 2009, 17:02
I am really not interested in paying €200 Entry Fee to give others my ideas ! Thank you but no thank you. This is utterly absurd !
John Micallef
Oct 22nd 2009, 16:10
Imma f'gieh is-sewwa, jista xi hadd jghidli kif l-ewwel inbniet dik binja kollha u issa nigu bid-design contest??
U l-alterazjonijiet biex takomoda id-design contest il-gdid min ha jhallsu jien allura??!!
Kieku jien nisthi!! Imma dawn ma jafux kif ghandu jkun.