Last May, the Kamra tal-Periti nominated celebrated Maltese architect Richard England as a candidate for the Robert Matthew Award – an award that is given by the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) to an architect or architectural office making the most outstanding contribution, having particular relevance to the country or region in which they operate.
And earlier last month, the CAA jury decided to bestow this prestigious recognition on England, who was selected out of five nominated candidates. The award was presented to England in absentia during a ceremony held in Mombasa, Kenya, as part of the CAA’s general assembly.
“I am delighted and honoured to have received this prestigious reward and would like to thank the members of the jury and the CAA council for the honour they have bestowed upon me.
“I feel particularly privileged when I think of the names of the previous recipients of the award such as Ken Yeang, Ian Ritchie, Raj Rewal and Sir Nicholas Grimshore, all practitioners of international stature. My thanks go to the President of the KTP Simone Vella Lenicker and the council for the initial nomination and would like to dedicate the award to all my fellow Maltese architects and, more so, to the many multi-talented young practitioners for the excellent work they are producing,” he said.
“The award augments my life-long belief in an architecture which belongs primarily to a place and its memories, and also to its time in a form of continuity within change. I have always believed that architects carry a heavy onus, for the buildings they shape eventually shape the lives of their users.
“I believe in an architecture which enhances the senses, enriches the spirit and elevates the soul. The words of Tennessee Williams best describe my philosophy: ‘I don’t want reality, I want magic’. Like Jurge Luis Borges, I believe that, ultimately, my job is to ‘weave dreams’ and to make the ordinary extraordinary”.
The Kamra tal-Periti describes England as having been Malta’s foremost architectural ambassador to all the corners of the world, making Malta proud that it has contributed in this discipline at the highest levels of achievement. They went on to say that they are honoured to count England as one of their distinguished members, and congratulated him on receiving the CAA Robert Matthew Award.