The Big Brother house set bears such a resemblance to the iconic work of prominent architect Richard England that his artist granddaughter has said it “looks exactly like the house I grew up in”.
The similarities were brought to the fore by a self-professed England fan, who created and posted a video on his Instagram page, Limestone Jungle, juxtaposing footage of the set with images of the architect’s projects.
Patrick van Schaik, who has made it his mission to visit and photograph every building designed by the Maltese architect and other modernists, compared interiors of the Big Brother house on the outskirts of Valletta to Ir-Razzett ta’ Sandrina in Mġarr, A Garden for Myriam in St Julian’s and the Aquasun Lido in Paceville.
Elements of the house are also reminiscent of England’s Dar il-Ħanin Samaritan, a centre of Christian faith in Sta Venera, and St Francis of Assisi church in Qawra.
The Big Brother Malta house. Photo: Matthew Bonanno
A Garden for Myriam. Photo: Patrick van Schaik
A Garden for Myriam. Photo: Patrick van Schaik
A Garden for Myriam. Photo: Richard England
The video is captioned: “Big Brother Malta set designer Richard England copycat? The reminiscence is uncanny!”
The Maltese architecture and heritage enthusiast, who describes himself as “slightly obsessed” with England, said he simply expressed his opinion about the “derivative work”.
He got the conversation going, prompting set designer Carlo Schembri, together with &Bold Studio, to acknowledge England and others when asked if this should be the case.
“When Patrick shared the set design images with me, I immediately thought of my grandfather’s architecture; the pool areas of the house I grew up in. I think his work and designs are immediately recognisable,” said England’s granddaughter Christina Darmanin.
“It seemed very obviously Nannu’s work, but not by him, as I know his colour palette and I do not think it was quite his way.”
Without wanting to overplay the issue, the artist felt it was important to mention and acknowledge influences, especially in the case of such similarities.
Being poor copies, I would rather not have my name associated with them- Richard England
Imitation is flattery “when done well”
Some feathers may have been ruffled, with talk of “plagiarism”, “replicas” and “uncredited appropriation”, but England himself, known not to be overprotective over his work and not one to mince his words, remained unfazed.
“Imitation is the greatest form of flattery when done well; otherwise, it is sad, vain and pathetic plagiarism, not worth commenting on,” he said. “Being poor copies, I would rather not have my name associated with them.”
Some arts professionals, however, were more sensitive to the issue, commenting about the need to reference the architect and pay homage and tribute to Malta’s modernist architecture.
While the set was clearly a nod to this, one person in the field insisted the pioneer should be mentioned at least in the credits of the programme aired daily until April 13.
“It would have been nice if they credited England on the show as the inspiration for the set, rather than just referring to Mediterranean aesthetics,” said one commentator.
The Big Brother Malta house. Photo: Matthew Bonanno
Aquasun Lido. Photo: Richard England
Qawra church. Photo: Patrick van Schaik
Qawra church. Photo: Patrick van Schaik
Influences acknowledged
Asked to comment about the whispers rising around his set design, Carlo Schembri described it as “a Maltese studio: rooted in England, inspired by Barragán and Bofill”.
The brief was to create a Maltese studio that “feels true to its place”, while embracing colour and vibrancy, the artistic director and designer said.
“The first and most natural reference was Richard England,” Schembri acknowledged, when asked, adding that his work defined a contemporary Maltese architectural language – sculptural, sensitive to light and deeply connected to material.
“Looking further, we found inspiration in Luis Barragán’s Casa Gagliardi, where colour is not an afterthought but an essential part of space. His ability to create warmth and depth through tones guided our approach,” Schembri said.
Schembri explained that referencing other architects to inform a project’s language is “nothing new”. He referred to the visual identity of the Netflix series Squid Game, for example, which drew heavily from Bofill’s work, translating his architectural forms into an immersive world. “In the same way, we sought to reinterpret influences within our own context rather than replicate them.
“Almost all our work roots itself in its context. Whether it is the studio for Master Chef, which references Maltese elements in its design, or that of Shark Tank, which directly draws from the architecture of the Upper Barrakka, we ensure that each space is more than just a functional backdrop, but also a reflection of its environment.”
The Big Brother Malta house. Photo: Matthew Bonanno
Ir-Razzett ta' Sandrina. Photo: Patrick van Schaik
Ir-Razzett ta' Sandrina. Photo: Patrick van Schaik
Ir-Razzett ta' Sandrina. Photo: Richard England
Ir-Razzett ta' Sandrina. Photo: Richard England
The same philosophy shaped this project, Schembri continued. The eye, a symbol seen across Malta – from the luzzu to amulets – became the thread tying these ideas together. “It represents vision, tradition and protection, grounding the space in something unmistakably local.
This was not the first brush between the architect and designer, and the idea of plagiarism had already arisen in 2009 over the makeover of St George’s Square in Valletta.
England had slammed it, complaining the project had been entrusted to “interior designers”, while another prominent architect, Conrad Thake, had criticised the designs, claiming they were plagiarised.
Schembri, who was the art director responsible for the city’s projects, had vehemently defended the work.