Government to decide soon on Valletta entrance project

The government should in the coming weeks "be in a position to take a stand" on the designs and studies submitted for the Valletta entrance project, Urban Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett said.

The project, which encompasses the ruins of the Royal Opera House, Freedom Square and possibly City Gate, will first be discussed at the Cabinet committee level.

The proposal is that the Royal Opera House will house Parliament, a suggestion that had generated heated debate when it was announced late last year.

"We first have to determine the feasibility as well as the funding and phasing options before we can determine whether or not we can embark on such a project," said Mr Mugliett.

Asked if the project would include City Gate, Mr Mugliett said the matter was still subject to debate. Also, it still needed to be determined whether Renzo Piano, who had submitted designs for its reconstruction, was still interested since no contact had been made with the architect in a while.

Mr Mugliett was speaking at the inauguration of an exhibition on Sustainable Development of Fort St Elmo: Concept Design Proposals, set up at Heritage Malta in Valletta.

The exhibition is the fruit of a seven-month long study by Barbara Buehler and Thomas Hardy Karpati, two German graduate engineers in architecture, as part of their dissertation at the Munich University of Applied Sciences.

It is being organised by the Valletta Rehabilitation Project and the ministries for resources and tourism, in collaboration with Heritage Malta.

The students analysed the lower part of Valletta and tried to identify what they felt were the essential problems in the area from an architectural viewpoint.

Based on a development brief of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority they proposed a general concept for the different parts of St Elmo, accompanied by a traffic concept for the city.

The proposals are intended to improve the present situation of the fort and open St Elmo to both the inhabitants of Valletta and visitors.

The students also designed a new residential complex on the site of the post-war Evan's Laboratories, which as it stands detracts attention from the fortress, particularly because of the fact that its form, height and receded façade are not in harmony with the historic surroundings.

The concept of this proposal is to integrate this building in the urban context of the city. By constructing an open space next to the Mediterranean Conference Centre, the forecourt of St Elmo could be finally defined and recognised as the main entrance of the fort.

Commercial outlets and cafés at the ground floor of the new complex, as well as upmarket residential units, could upgrade the area and help generate money for the rehabilitation of the fort.

The proposed residential complex consists of 16 townhouses around a large courtyard. These would be a modern interpretation of the city's historical houses with a floor space of between 200 and 400 square metres each.

Another idea includes the construction of a two-level underground car park for more than 200 cars. Apart from alleviating the parking problem, it is also intended to eliminate the present damage being caused by cars parking on the granaries.

Mr Mugliett welcomed these refreshing proposals which he said presented a different dimension to the debate on St Elmo, at a time when proposals and strategies were being drafted for Valletta.