Building forever

Earlier this year Din l-Art Helwa made an impassioned plea on behalf of Valletta, which we called a city betrayed.

We therefore welcome the government's apparent determination to do something about what is loosely referred to as the Opera House site, taking in the old opera house and, possibly, Freedom Square. They are currently a major stain on Valletta. A new Parliament building has been proposed.

We would not be averse to such a proposition. The present location of our Parliament is wholly incompatible with the rest of the Palace, in which it is a trespasser, as well as being cramped and inefficient for a modern legislature.

The determination to arrive at a decision on this matter is now vital. The capacity for decision is an absolute must in politics. But we have a genius for inaction. As the Opera House story testifies, doing nothing is almost always wrong.

What should the future design of the Opera House site be? In arriving at a decision Din l-Art Helwa is guided by two fundamental precepts.

We start from the basic precept that care must be taken to conserve the original, unique character of what remains of the City of the Order. Allied with this, it must respect the mannerist origins and baroque heritage of the city. It must harmonise sympathetically with the historic environment of a city built of stone - Malta's strongest and most attractive architectural ally.

Secondly, proper account must be taken of the size and scale of Valletta and its uniqueness as a fortified city of World Heritage status. Valletta is not Paris, London, Berlin or Rome, or even Lyon or Barcelona, where modern architecture abounds and often successfully. Valletta is a fraction their size - closer to Bruges, Venice and Dubrovnik. What happens in one small part of our city affects inevitably the rest of it. We cannot afford to experiment here. We must get it right.

We have already heard about the wish for the new building to be "contemporary" and to make a "21st century architectural statement". If this is a coded way of saying that we should have a modern concrete and glass building in a radically different style to that which pertains in the rest of the city, then Din l-Art Helwa would strongly urge reconsideration.

If that steel scaffolding structure which recently went up in Freedom Square and passes for modern sculpture is meant to signal a "21st architectural statement" over Freedom Square, then God help us.

Valletta is unique. That uniqueness should be celebrated and conserved. We cannot afford egoistical experiments. When we build let us think - like the Sovereign Military Order - that we build forever.

For an example of how much better the unique style of vernacular architecture blends in with our surroundings you have only to compare the beauty and grace of the restored Pinto Wharf stores with the modern apology that lies across the water near Fort St Angelo to see how successful restoration in the old style can be.

To our mind, this leads to the following broad conclusion on the kind of architectural building that should replace the Opera House and its environs. We want to see something on the old opera house site which is in harmony with the rest of the buildings in the city. Which is balanced. Built of stone. Takes account of the scale of the site and the small size of Valletta. While Paris, London and Berlin can absorb daring, modern architectural challenges to the traditional structures around them, Valletta can not.

Other things being equal, therefore, we would prefer to see the opera house rebuilt with an outer fabric which is compatible with the traditional style and character of Valletta. By all means, make a "21st century architectural statement" inside the building. But externally the building must seek to enhance our capital city by respecting its uniqueness as a fortified baroque city of World Heritage status.

As to Freedom Square, which is an intrinsic part of the Opera House site, we want to see the current unbalanced and characterless square restored - with buildings on one side and a public recreational space at its core; a fitting and dignified ante-room to the restored Opera House site and the rest of Valletta.

To sum up, therefore, I wish to recall words used by architects Harrison and Hubbard in their exemplary report on Valletta almost 60 years ago. "Good architecture," they said "is but the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Good architecture is the work of good architects".

Let us pray that this latest endeavour by the government will indeed lead to a worthy and lasting solution. We want to see a city redeemed. No longer a city betrayed.

Mr Scicluna is executive president, Din l-Art Helwa.