Savio College opens multi-purpose hall

The Don Bosco educational complex in Dingli is now in full swing even if it was already inundated with requests for the staging of sports and other activities before its inauguration last week.

Sports being an integral part of modern education, the need for a suitable sports hall for Savio College has long been felt by the Salesian community. College rector Fr Paul Formosa said; "This long-awaited dream is now a reality. The new facilities enable the college to provide a better and more holistic education to its students".

As one approaches the building, outwardly curving walls seem to invite the visitor to walk in. A spacious foyer provides a welcoming entrance from where visitors can access the spectator seating of the sports hall by means of stairs to a mezzanine level. The design also includes a passenger lift to enable persons with mobility difficulties to enter the spectator seating without difficulty.

The building consists of three distinct yet inter-connected parts: the entrance foyer, the multi-purpose hall and the changing rooms. Each can be used independently or in conjunction with other parts of the building. The layout combined with effective management will allow for intensive use of the building for a diversity of activities throughout the day.

The sports hall is roofed over by a steel frame dome, truncated on four sides to fit over a square. The resultant geometry provides for a curved roofline on each of the four façades. The curvature is carried forward, and downwards, at the main entrance by means of curved and sloping screen walls. The juxtaposition and size of the screen walls re-dimension the sheer size of the building to a more human scale and give the sports hall a distinctive appearance.

The curved lines are reminiscent of prehistoric temples in Malta. Referring to temple architecture, author Leonard Mahoney's says in his book 5,000 Years of Architecture in Malta: "The most remarkable feature of the Maltese aesthetic is its evident dislike of straight lines and sharp edges, its translation of all form into soft sweeping curves".

The building was designed by architect John Ebejer in conjunction with Cassar, Grech, Ebejer and Partners. Fr Formosa and Fr Richard Ebejer, the former rector, were actively involved as clients throughout the design process.