Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar is inviting its members and the public to a private tour of San Anton Palace and its beautiful staterooms which are rarely open to the public. This tour is being organised in conjunction with The Sustainable Regeneration of Built Heritage Initiative, led by architect Amber Wismayer under the auspices of the President of Malta, which adopted San Anton Palace as a case study in safeguarding Malta’s architectural legacy through sustainable interventions and sensitive, adaptive reuse.
In addition to touring the San Anton staterooms, Wismayer will explain how Maltese heritage buildings incorporate passive environmental design strategies such as natural ventilation, orientation towards the sun, thermal mass and shading. The use of traditional features such as the loggia, were developed over the centuries to provide comfortable living spaces for buildings’ occupants.
International studies have shown that significant energy savings may be achieved without reducing a building’s cultural and architectural value, offering huge potential in reducing national energy demands. San Anton Palace, now the residence and office of the President of Malta, was originally built in 1620 as a country retreat for Grand Master Antoine de Paule and embellished over the centuries. Thus the different functions of this working palace must merge harmoniously with the highest standards of heritage protection, presenting a challenging case study.
After the tour a short lecture will be given, explaining how the Palace’s original features were incorporated to improve comfort by maximising the benefits of passive strategies while safeguarding the building’s heritage value. This will be followed by tea/coffee and refreshments for tour participants.
Tours of San Anton Palace will be held today at noon, 1 and 2pm. Bookings from https://ticketengine. faa.org.mt/.
A €20 donation for the tour is being requested, which includes a donation to the Community Chest Fund.
Patrons are requested to arrive 15 minutes before their tour.