Partial roof for Piano's theatre

Joe Xuereb

Mar 3rd 2010, 20:12

I have suggested elsewhere the site of the old theatre site being turned into a functional monument to the history of a people. And then I remembered the Estufa Fria in central Lisbon. A miracle of relaxation, an oasis, amidst the traffic and the noise. With a minimal entry fee, such a place would help the running of the greenhouse and eventually pay for itself and make a profit. Malta's climate is particularly suited for this kind of public space. And it can be used round the clock. And it matters not if it rains as it is waterproof, a wonderful soothing space shielded from the Maltese sun. Go for it Gonzi. Malta and its people will be forever grateful for a living, evolving public space. And by its nature, a temporary structure. When the theatre is built, wherever it's built, it will in time blend and be established. And so will a successul Maltese version of a bit of Lisbona. When this happens, who would need to wax nostalgic over the Barry?
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM1W0D_Estufa_Fria_Lisbon_Portugal

http://www.palmasur.com/en/cgi-bin/section.asp?sid=2&oid=2&pid=32

http://lisboaverde.cm-lisboa.pt/index.php?id=4128

http://www.nextstop.com/p/z5PRaPoWIsY/estufa-fria/

And why not? at the level of the Piano Nobile, there could be in this glassy edifice, a gallery overlooking the bromelias.

Joe Xuereb (London UK)

Mar 2nd 2010, 10:23

Sewwa jghidu. Hu l-fama u tista' tinxtehet il-bahar (once fame is attained and guaranteed, one can do anything even the most banal).
Piano is, without doubt, a first class architect and more. But fancy ideas in tiny Malta, and even tinier Valletta - excellence in a microcosm not unlike a very fragile eco-system - must not be imposed upon with fanciful dysfunctionalies totally counter to people's expectations. London can, and does, assimilate differenct architectural signitures cheek by jowl next to each other. London is vast. Valletta isn't. On top of all this is the question of money during a supposed recession. Parliament building we already have but megalomaniacs think otherwise. World-renowned architects are that but hardly known for their humility I shouldn't imagine. You get the two heads together, 'one' aim but different personal agendas and the situation is a potential damage to a beautiful tiny capital more devastating than any war.

M Pace

Mar 2nd 2010, 08:22

And this monstrosity is going to be constructed with the Maltese people's money through the utility bills. Isnt this what Gonzi said that the increase in W & E bills is there to make up for the deficit. And what is going to be the result of this monsterous Project?

Anthony Pace Gouder

Mar 1st 2010, 20:42

Nothing is going to be accepted by all those who long to see a National Theatre build on the same site. A Professionally build PERMANENT structure , following the existing foundations and as faithful as possible to the salient architectural features without being too sumptuous as the old Opera House . As an example i'm Again suggesting ; http;//www.panoramio.com/photo/24840435 and http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2507371 The excuses that the SITE is too SMALL doesn't hold water . Its the proposed Parliament block that is restricting a satisfactory width . A10 meter (33 feet) Encroachment on Freedom Square is more than enough ! this can be also achieved at the rear .ST.JAMES Cavalier can be connected to serve as an auxilliary building for the theatre . Renzo has failed us a second time !

Paul Kelly

Mar 1st 2010, 20:33

But I don't understand! How can a Maltese and an Italian cook up a fudge that is so typically British?

Neil Bugeja

Mar 1st 2010, 20:01

I think everybody makes mistakes. Mr.Piano, THIS was a mistake. Fix it

Joan Nelson

Mar 1st 2010, 19:44

2) I've been suggesting rebuilding the old theatre as a functional monument but another suggested fixing up the ruins and turn the whole thing into a monument (Joe Xuereb). It's the least we can do for those Maltese that prided in our theatre and saw it's distruction aside from suffering the wrath of the war. I'll take it a step futher and suggest we turn the ruins into monument but a functional open air one for summer days. Meantime we still need a proper theatre, and what better space to do it in but right next door where Freedom Square lies. We don't need a Parliament building there. I'd like to see the same plans of the old theatre adoped on a larger scale to fill the space. The artists that use it need a larger space and for storing props. Our growing population can definitely use one that will accommodate future generations to come. There's public transport right outside that will eliminate parking problems and congestion for an added convenience for ourselves and tourists alike. The old functional ruins and the old/new theatre side by side in perfect harmony (Elton John). Wouldn't that be nice!??

Mario Philip Azzopardi

Mar 1st 2010, 19:42

"I think this is going to be one of the most magic places in the Mediterranean," Mr Piano had said... C'mon. Can we allow sanity to prevail? Please? Shed party politics, think about the potential we will be losing by the plan being adopted by Piano. Please consider what we are about to lose, weigh it by what we gain, The Piano edifice of no practical use. I want to censor myself for falling into the mire of arguments and counter arguments. It was loud and signifies nothing. To the point. Guys, with all sincerity and apart from any political bias, this will not work. Cannot work. I bear no malice to those who agree with this Piano project. I just want o hear why they are so adamant when it is so obvious from an artistic and technical point of view that this is a mistake. A cloth roof? Are they kidding? What do they have against their own artists that have stood up and made their voice heard? What exactly is their problem?

Joan Nelson

Mar 1st 2010, 19:32

1) I like the title to this article: 'Partial roof for Piano's Theatre' - And rightly so. He's not even Maltese but our Parliament turned it into HIS project. Now it's technically and rightfully Piano's Theatre if carried out. He's having a hay day and guarantee he's laughing all the way to the bank. The longer we decide the better for his pocket. Whatever happened to keeping the money in Malta and get Maltese architects on board. They have a better sense of the Maltese sentiment and our attachment to the war then he ever will. We trained them and we owe them a chance at national recognition. I bet they won't even charge a fraction of what Piano has taken in for his retirement.

Albert Bezzina

Mar 1st 2010, 19:08

I do not claim to be experienced in costings but if the cost of the Valletta entrance project is €80million I envisage the following. Demolition of current city gate and shops €1Million, rebuilding gate to Mr Piano's design €6million, cosmetic changes to housing block €150,000 (total: €6.15million) Restoration of Opera House ruins into restored ruins €750,000, excavations and modeling of seating hall €2million, services + 'support facilities' + equipment €850,000, partial roof over stage, two dozen three storey poles €250,000, screens to be used between poles another €150,000 (total: €4,000,000) New parliament building total cost: €70million. I await more experienced costing experts to give their costing of the three parts of the project. I'll be glad if I am proved way off the mark. 'Go on! Make my day!'

Marlene Mizzi

Mar 1st 2010, 18:44

Do not blame Renzo Piano for this mess. He is undoubtably one of the greatest architects of our times and it would have been nice for Malta to have one of his buildings. BUT , he seems to be working on the brief and budgets given him and I am sure that he is doing his utmost to produce something within the brief given. This is proving to be unacceptable to many including the artists. It's like asking Beethoven to compose a Sonata but instructing him to use 4 notes instead of 7 .... He would not have given us the Moonlight Sonata ,my friends. He would have given us Baa Baa Black Sheep ... at most !!!! So do not blame the architect, blame those responsible for the brief given to him...and their hard headedness and arrogance. 3 blind mice, 3 blind mice. See how they spend..... .......

Anthony Pace Gouder

Mar 1st 2010, 15:21

Ahna l-Maltin nghidu , ""TRAQQA L-PANNU BILL QARGHA HAMRA ! " Hekk joghobkom ! Tkomplux tipprovaw tkomplu tizzuffjettaw bin-nies. U BILHAQQ, kemm IL-PM kif ukoll l-assistent Austin ma semmew xejn u jidher li lanqas idduskutew fuq il-monument tas-Sette Gugnio . .Mohhom kien aktar biex jghidu lil-Renzo biex jiddisinja bus terminuta hmistax il-Xarabank ! .

Paul Caruana

Mar 1st 2010, 13:09

" In fact, the site was not deemed adequate to house the Parliament building, as the government had originally proposed. Instead, Mr Piano had proposed to restore the ruins and turn them into a piazza which, in the summer months, could be turned into a theatre that is partly shielded by sail-like, side panels."

....and there you have it - this original proposal by Piano makes much more sense than the current one, which is stuffing in a building (proposed new parlament) which should not be there in the first place!

jsaliba

Mar 1st 2010, 11:50

Were each and every artist of the 128 able to and submit his own proposal for the theatre he would find the other 127 opposing him. Is that what artists are made of? I like the whole piano project although I would have done it differently. But I believe that touching and retouching spoils its authenticity. History of art proves that many times the 'defects' like for example Caravaggio's common people depicting saints and anatomical incongruities in Buonarroti's, el Greco and more recent Mondrian figures among others and etc., later turned out to be essential elements in the uniqueness of a masterpiece.

Daniel Borg

Mar 1st 2010, 11:28

Biex ikolna teatru bla saqaf nahseb ahjar inhalluh kif inhu.. parlament ghandna diga... u l-flus jistaw jintuzaw ghal investimenti tax-xoghol, ghax ma nistax nifhem kif hawn probla finanzjarja u se jintnefqu dawn il miljuni kollha.. mela mhux vera hawn id-dejn f'malta

Ramon Casha

Mar 1st 2010, 10:54

"I think this is going to be one of the most magic places in the Mediterranean," Mr Piano had said...

You thought wrong.

This massively expensive fiasco will serve only to undermine Piano's reputation if it goes through. It will not serve its purpose as a theatre. Those who attended the Eurosong contest at Ta' Qali stadium a few years back know what the result was - lots of frozen backsides and nobody enjoying the show. The audience will either be freezing and wet in winter, or on dusty seats while the performers try to make themselves heard over the noise from outside. No performers will want to perform there. No producers will want to hire that stage. No members of public will want to pay good money for a seat in a mediocre theatre.

Instead of an opera house whose stage can be adapted to any kind of performance, we'll have a dust bowl which can't be used for anything.

So Mr. Piano, back to the drawing board. Accept that you made a mistake and fix it.