The company behind the installation of controversial new façade lighting at Castille Palace has defended the project, which it said was being “unfairly judged” before lighting designers had even been brought in.

Raymond Vella and Co. Ltd were the sole bidders in a government tender worth nearly €300,000 – for the supply, installation and commissioning of the lighting as part of the Castille Square renovation project.

The new lighting installation, which features extensive LED tube lighting across the front and sides of the building, has drawn widespread criticism in the last few days, with many comparing it to the exterior of a hotel or casino.

Unfavourable comparisons were also drawn to an artist’s impression released before the project’s commencement, which shows more subtle upwards lighting across the façade.

Speaking to the Times of Malta yesterday, managing director Raymond Vella said that the company was responsible for installation but not for the lighting design, which had not yet been completed.

We still need to work with the lighting designers to adjust the illumination to the correct levels

“When we completed the installation, we spent two days testing and programming the lighting at 100 per cent intensity,” he said.

“We still need to work with the lighting designers to adjust the illumination to the correct levels.”

According to Mr Vella, the lights will not be switched on again until the designers complete their work towards the end of next week, although the design will require a few more days of testing before being finalised.

He also defended the choice of lighting used for the façade, which he said was all in line with the tender requirements and employed “the most recent technology”.

Photo Luke Rocco

Architect Edward Said explained that the approach appeared to fit a current drive to light historic buildings so as to highlight specific features while leaving others dark.

A similar design, he said, had recently been employed with great success at St Dominic’s Dome in Vittoriosa.

Mr Said added that, while the initial appearance of the façade was “overdone”, he preferred to wait until the final design was revealed, although he admitted concern over the visibility of the light sources.

Citing a fellow architect, he pointed out that the façade of Castille Palace faces southwest, and had therefore been originally designed with a number of projections to take advantage of the abundance of shadows.

“A sensitive lighting design would attempt to emulate this original design feature,” he said.