The process to draft a National Policy for Architecture was launched yesterday at the Fine Arts Museum in Valletta, with a view to bringing Malta's built environment in line with EU practices.
Chamber of Architects president David Pace said the policy's aim would be to inform the public of their rights to enjoy a built environment that was socially, economically and environmentally sound; to work towards achieving a sustainable built environment for today's and future generations; to raise awareness of and protect cultural aspects of the built environment; and to contribute towards achieving good governance in architectural matters.
The policy was being promoted by the chamber in collaboration with Heritage Malta and under the patronage of the Tourism and Culture Ministry, while enjoying the support of both sides of the political fence, as well as the President and the Prime Minister, who has also suggested having the policy ratified by Parliament to give it due weight, Mr Pace said.
Late last year, the chamber had written to the ministries, the Opposition Leader and various authorities and organisations, inviting them to nominate a representative to participate in the process of drafting the National Policy for Architecture.
Its drafting would involve several stakeholders, including representatives from a variety of ministries, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the Lands Department, the Building Industry Consultative Council, Din l-Art Helwa, Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, Kunsill Nazzjonali Persuni b' Dizabilità, the Valletta, Mdina and Cottonera Rehabilitation Projects, the Environment Commission of the Archbishop's Curia, the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture at the university, the College of Local Councils and Alternattiva Demokratika. Together they have formed the Policy Drafting and Consultative Committees, which are meeting for the first time next month for a brainstorming session, Mr Pace said. Questionnaires would also be circulated at a later stage.
The target for the launch of the actual document was the beginning of summer, although that depended on many factors, he pointed out.
Mr Pace said the idea was not to create a document that would be left to lie dormant on a shelf, but to encourage the education of the public to know their rights and to offer guidelines that would have to be followed by architects. It would be a working document, not just of principle, and would be tied to definite action.
What architects designed and constructed affected the quality of life of the citizens and it was up to them to determine what constituted a good built environment.
Heritage Malta Chairman Mario Tabone insisted that "today's architecture is tomorrow's heritage". Architecture was also intimately related to social life and could serve as an inspiration. In a country like Malta, architecture was even more vital as it encroached on and dominated the citizens' limited space. How that space was used was of utmost importance, he said.
Malta had experienced an "aesthetic crisis" when the architects' lobby was not strong enough, or not recognised, so Dr Tabone considered yesterday's launch to be a "happy" day.
It was up to the architects to "make intelligent and modern use of our space to create a common home for all citizens", he said.
Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said architecture was part of the country's cultural and artistic dimension. It was important to take into consideration what people would be saying about today's architecture in a hundred years' time.