Simonne Pace catches up with three young architects with a fresh outlook on what they do. Michael Pace and Christopher Micallef have set up their own practice, while Paula Agius has been around for a little over two years. Here are some of their innermost thoughts on their profession...

Michael Pace, 37, and Christopher Micallef, 37, both completed their Architecture deg­rees from the University of Malta in 1999 and earned their warrants in 2000.

After graduating, they worked as architects for four years with Archi­tecture Project. Michael then moved on to set up Spacestudio, an architecture partnership, while Christopher joined Spacestudio shortly after Michael.

In 2011, they set up Forward, an architecture practice with the scope of offering a specialised service in architecture and interior design.

Paula Agius, 25, completed her Architecture degree from the University of Malta in 2010 and obtained her warrant in 2012.

Working for Pace*Lautier Design Workshop is her first job experience, although she worked for Architecture Project for a few summers as an intern at university.

Pinpoint new architectural trends...

We are lucky to have such a rich history that has left us so many architectural jewels. By looking carefully at these buildings, we can learn a lot about construction methods and energy efficiency

Michael: Sustainable architecture is architecture that seeks to minimise its impact on the environment. This applies to all disciplines either directly or indirectly related to buildings, from limiting excessive use of materials during construction, to use of sustainable materials, to design of compact and functional space, to energy efficiency and limited water usage, to reuse of water, to the generation of energy, oxygen, waste and even food. Ultimately, once all such disciplines are chucked into one basket, the less the environmental impact, the more sustainable the architecture.

Parametric design is an approach based on algorithms, or mathematical processes. Since computers are way better than humans at algorithms, parametric design can deliver what a human brain can only start to conceive.

The designer’s instructions are converted into a set of algorithms, which, in turn, are generated into three-dimensional form. Take it a step further and plug in your materials and the engineering solution is calculated too. Don’t be fooled by my oversimplified description.

Christopher: Locally, we are showing greater awareness towards our natural and built environment and this will undoubtedly have a positive impact on our future quality of life.

We have great aspirations in protecting the limited natural resources available to Malta and yet, at the same time, we are struggling to create an environment that holistically tackles the challenges brought over from our social and economical reality. I believe these challenges have now pushed us towards a rethinking of the planning of our built environment. In solving these emergent, contemporary, urban challenges, new architec­tural trends are inevitable.

Paula: Architectural trends are constantly changing according to the needs and advancements in technology. By using a sustainable approach in the initial stages of design, a greener architecture will be gained. Also, rather than designing with actual elements, such as walls, doors and windows, the approach of looking at a room or a project as a three-dimensional volume – a spatial approach – is being adopted. The combination of natural and man-made materials is also popular.

How have these trends changed the way you look at architecture?

Michael: A sustainable result is a win-win situation. If it works, everybody’s happy. The making of very basic decisions early on in the design process can make huge differences to the final result. Once the building is up, it is difficult to change its properties significantly in this respect. We have learnt to be more aware and to plan early and strive to make each project an improvement on the last.

Parametric design requires investment. We are not there yet, though we are beginning to dabble in minor architectural details. It’s a start, and when the time is right, the plan is to immerse ourselves in it.

Paula: Together with aesthetics, sustainability is on my priority list. When I design, I think about how the client will use the space. I also try to mold spaces by using volumes, fin walls and voids. Slit windows allow natural light to enter a space and space is maximised. I look at good architecture as the creation of spaces that not only offer a sense of belonging, but also perform sustainably today, tomorrow and in many years to come.

Are new trends being used in Malta?

Michael: New architectural trends in Malta are never very new internationally. We lag behind as with other things, but we get there in the end.

Christopher: I would say there are a few contemporary one-offs, which will have a positive influence on future local architectural trends. Two examples spring to mind. In the new Parliament building in Valletta, Renzo Piano has transformed the traditional local stone into a magical, contemporary, architectural expression.

The second example is the recent refurbishment of the PBS building in Guardamangia. Up until a few years ago, this building was proposed for demolition, which would have led to the loss of one of the modern examples of 20th-century modern architecture in Malta. Luckily for us and future generations, this demolition was withdrawn and plans were drawn up to restore and conserve this building into a modern classic.

If yes, how? If no, why?

Michael: We are insulated and not very individualistic as a nation. So new trends need time to sink in with the public before the market demands them.

New trends often come at a cost too. So, in general, a change in the public mindset is often necessary to justify such costs.

Paula: Although the principles in building methods have remained the same, they have been modified according to the technology and materials of today. More sustainable elements are being used in projects, like insulation, double glazing and green roofs, which contribute to the well-being of the end user and to the overall efficiency of the building. It is a growing trend to renovate old houses and modify them according to today’s lifestyle.

Projects you have worked on...

Michael: We have a varied portfolio and are lucky to have a team we can trust. Our initial focus was residential. We have now extended that to cover office fit-outs, new-build villas, historic conversions, restaurants and, most recently, a museum.

We do our best to keep abreast with what is happening in the rest of the world. The best results are when there is synergy between client and architect and the time and budget to do something special.

Paula: I am currently working on a terraced house in Pembroke still under construction. Works on an old townhouse in Birkirkara have just been completed and we are about to start working on the finishes.

We are renovating a couple of small rooms into a retail outlet in Mdina. I was involved in the new Malta Enterprise offices, where an existing 1960s building was renovated and restored...

Your favourite project. Why?

Michael: It’s hard to pinpoint, but there are a couple of villas, offices and a historic conversion, which, we hope, will be really special. One usually gets most attached to those projects that require more design input.

Compare it to cooking. Sometimes, you cook to satisfy a need, which is hunger in this case. But on occasion, you’re a dinner party host. You discuss the menu, choose the wine, seat the guests, spend a day or more preparing for one meal. That’s when you hope to satisfy more than just a need. That’s when it should be special.

Paula: After spending time working on a project, developing a concept into plans and details, it feels good when the client has the same vision as you do. Since the terraced house in Pembroke was the first ever project I designed and worked on, I would have to say that it is my favourite. It will be interesting to see this project transform from initial sketch to bricks and mortar.

Since I envisage living in the 400-year-old Żebbuġ house I am renovating and extending, and since I’m my own client, there is plenty of room for experimentation and lots of learning on the way. It is extremely exciting.

Why do you like architecture?

Michael: The fact that architecture is the creation of something out of nothing – both in terms of the physical building as well as the inhabitants’ lifestyle. A split-second decision at a drawing board can determine whether a garden is sunny, whether a family interacts in the kitchen, or whether an employer ever meets his employees.

Job satisfaction, lots of it! Every project is different, so there is no getting bored.

Paula: You get to create something out of nothing. You get to work and experiment with different materials. You are constantly learning, since architecture is a process. It is something that is always evolving, in terms of both technique and style. Although the latest technology can be used in design development, the basic paper and pen have always been the most powerful tools.

How can ‘old’ and ‘new’ architecture merge?

Michael: Structure, shelter and aesthetics have always been intrinsic to architecture. I doubt many would argue that these three factors are not common to ‘old’ and ‘new’ architecture. A noticeable difference is today’s multidisciplinary complexity. New architecture requires coordination of countless engineering solutions and trades to create what is ultimately as much of a machine as it is a building.

From an engineering point of view, inserting the new into the old is always a challenge and not always 100 per cent possible. Aesthetically, old and new merge continuously. Otherwise, we would have to erase our cities and rebuild them every year.

When tasked with inserting a new build into an existing built environment, one might opt to slip into the background, or to contrast, to fit in, or to compete for attention. All can work as long as enough of the context of the built surroundings is respected and enough good thought is put into it.

Paula: The principles behind vernacular architecture are still used as a blueprint in today’s contemporary world. In Malta, we are lucky to have such a rich history that has left us with so many architectural jewels. By looking carefully at these buildings, we can learn a lot about building methods and energy efficiency, such as thermal mass. These techniques have remained the same, while style has evolved and adapted to today’s way of life.

What makes a building architecturally beautiful, worth looking at and worth living in?

Michael: The term beautiful comes in various forms. A serene building might be as beautiful as one that shouts. Simplicity might be as pleasing as complexity. As with classical music and rock, both can be equally beautiful in very different ways.

As for whether a building is worth living in, it’s often a case of horses for courses. For a building to be an ideal home, it must facilitate or promote a lifestyle that the inhabitant needs or aspires to. Different lifestyles for different people and different homes for different lifestyles.

Paula: Beauty is subjective. However, good proportions together with the introduction of the right materials, natural light and landscaping can all contribute to a space that feels good and is comfortable to live in.

Who inspires you?

Michael: I like to browse and pick up ideas as I go along from designers, architects, products and nature. Some things stick and others fade out of memory. So this answer might be different if you asked me again in a month.

Currently, I’ve always got time for new residential architecture in Chile or Portugal and there is always a hungry corner in my brain for Scandinavian design, regardless of age. If I had to pick a house to live in, built by a particular architect, I’d choose one of John Lautner’s.

Paula: Architects I always refer to are John Pawson, Alberto Campo Baeza and David Adjaye. However, I’m always on the search for new architects to inspire me. I lately came across a Spanish architect, Fran Silvestre, who designs beautiful purist architecture that emits a sense of calm and serenity.

Have you always wanted to be an architect?

Michael: At pram age, I had a thing for cranes. My grandfather would scout the Sliema promenade for building sites and park me for hours facing a crane, while he’d face the sea of course. I always said I’d become an architect, but never really gave it enough thought. At school, I loved physics, maths and art, so architecture remained the automatic path. Nonetheless, I’ll never be sure I made the right choice.

Paula: Since I was around 11, I wanted to become an interior designer. I would watch design programmes on television and always want to buy home magazines. Then I realised that if I became an architect, interior design would be one area among a vast spectrum of other sectors I could be exposed to.

Do you have to be a bit of a designer to be an architect?

Michael: Yes, and a bit of an engineer, project manager, negotiator, marriage counsellor, plumber...

Paula: The two should not be separate. The results you get when both disciplines are separate is that of architecture in Malta in the 1970s and 1980s. As a perit, one is both an architect and civil engineer. However, even throughout my university education, the two are becoming more defined.