Baroque Malta

The head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Design and director of the International Institute for Baroque Studies, Professor Denis De Lucca, has been invited by the Rector of the University of Reggio Calabria, Professor Alessandro Bianchi, to conduct a seminar on the urban fabric of Baroque Malta to postgraduate students and tutors involved in the dottorato di ricerca programmes of the Dipartimento di Architettura e Analisi della Città Mediterranea.

The well-attended seminar was introduced by Professor Massimo Giovannini, dean of the architecture faculty, and by Professor Sarah Rossi, head of department, who both expressed their desire to collaborate closely with the University of Malta in research endeavours concerning the Mediterranean built environment.

In his presentation, Professor De Lucca discussed the development of the urban fabric of the Grand Harbour area during the period 1530-1798, outlining the often conflicting thinking and design processes involved, the main protagonists and nebulous areas which need to be investigated further through archival research work in Malta and Italy.

A video about the historical development and conservation aspects of Valletta, the result of an on-going collaborative project between the universities of Malta and Udine, was also shown to the audience at the conclusion of the seminar.

The faculty of architecture in Reggio Calabria is one of the most progressive institutions of its nature in Italy, with a wide range of academic links and several publications to its credit. It offers specialised courses in architecture, urban design, landscape studies and the history and conservation of the architectural heritage, all within a clear philosophy of approach firmly entrenched in the rich architectural history and building traditions of the Mediterranean area.