Antoine Zammit

The needs of a growing population inevitably lead to an increase in urbanisation. Malta is no exception. Indeed, in an island where space is at a premium, it’s no easy task to strike a happy medium between creating more homes and improving the efficiency of existing developed areas while limiting the impact on the environment. This, however, is what people like Antoine Zammit set out to do.

Zammit graduated in 2002 and earned his professional warrant as an architect in 2003. He then read for a postgraduate MSc degree in town planning, specialising in urban design, at the Bartlett School of Planning, University College of London. He also read for a PhD in Urban Design and Planning that he completed in 2013.

Following a period as a member of the Planning Appeals Board in Malta and a 10-year stint in private practice, Zammit set up his own company, Studjurban. Nowadays, he also lectures on spatial planning, urban design and urban governance within the Faculty for the Built Environment at the University of Malta. He also holds an advisory role with MEPA.

Zammit’s qualifications and experience give him the right credentials to discuss the urban development problems and challenges that Malta presents.

“When we talk about Malta we often refer to the urban conurbation. In simple terms this has come about as towns and villages have grown and expanded to merge together as one urban area, rather like a city,” he says. “In the past, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, what contributed to this expansion was when large areas of land were subdivided into significantly sized residential plots and housing estates, often without proper ancillary amenities and supplementary land uses. Pembroke is one such example.”

Zammit explains that in such cases, the lack of a long-term strategy subsequently created problems, especially given the inadequate infrastructure.

Today the approach is a different one. Space has become a major issue and architects and planners are faced with the challenge of making the best use of the land that is available to them. It’s a dilemma that is multi-faceted.

To make better use of land there is the need to create greater densities

“To make better use of land there is the need to create greater densities. This is where the concept of land intensification – possibly higher buildings – enters the scenario. The thinking here is that medium- or high-rise developments may have a smaller footprint and can therefore release valuable ground open space that can be used as a recreational area for everyone.

“Also, contemporary urban design thinking takes into account the accessibility to retail and services within a 400- and 800-metre radius. This makes accessibility on foot possible and therefore reduces the need to use a car.”

A sustainable transport strategy is a problem that is acknowledged on a worldwide scale.

Passive house design, Naxxar.

“In Malta there are already serious implications that are not easy to address. For instance, a change in the road layout allowing for a bus lane in an already built-up area may sound like a simple proposal but may well be a major headache where there is already heavy traffic congestion and space is at a minimum.

“At the other end of the scale a more efficient form of public transport would encourage people to use park and ride facilities that could then be located even further outside the main commuting zones than at present. An example would be to focus more on a facility around Marsa to service commuters into Valletta, as opposed to bringing vehicles all the way to Floriana. This would release important road space, allowing for a continuous high-speed transit system in a dedicated area.”

Energy efficiency is another important consideration.

“An EU directive dictates that we need to try to produce homes that have zero consumption. We should be guided by the principle of reduce, reuse and recycle. However, such initiatives need incentives and government needs to lead by example.

“At the moment many people are buying photovoltaic panels. They seem to be everywhere and technology is advancing at such a phenomenal rate that they are now smaller and less obtrusive as they can be set at a lower angle. In the long-term, as we aim towards greater energy efficiency, it would be better if they were integrated at the building stage. However, as always, there is a struggle between the developer who a wants to minimise the short-term cost and affordability to the buyer, and the long-term gains.

Passive house design, Sliema.

“But there are alternative ways of approaching this. For instance, rather than photovoltaic panels, would it perhaps not be easier to think about insulation which would make homes more energy efficient? That way the energy demand would be less and the energy from photovoltaic panels could actually go back into the grid. It’s a benefit that will ultimately be passed on to the end user. It’s definitely the way forward and modern houses are now given an energy rating that will hopefully sensitise people about energy matters further.”

Although housing trends have changed Zammit explains that there is a growing proportion of young people who prefer to buy an older house in a less central location and restore it.

“This is where the importance of encouraging energy efficiency comes into play. Advocating the use of existing materials and features is one way they can implement the three Rs. A good example is to make use of a new staircase in a reconfigured dwelling to act as a chimney or to encourage people to think about cross-ventilation in their building which, in turn, reduces the need for air conditioning during the hotter months.

“At the strategic level, people moving out of older areas to newer locations reduce the critical mass of the former areas which may result in shops closing down and the general decline of the urban environment and its communities. I believe we need to encourage the rehabilitation of old properties and to renovate them sympathetically to their context but also in a way that makes them relevant to today’s needs.”

With so many issues to confront it may well be thought that finding a workable strategy that pleases all parties is impossible. However, Zammit remains optimistic.

“There is a risk that sustainability is reduced to a buzzword. We need to focus on responsible design and, as architects and planners, the choices we make are important. We need to remember that we have a responsibility to the future as we are part of something that is ultimately much bigger than ourselves.”