Towards a national policy for architecture

Are the buildings being constructed helping to make our lives better? David Pace, president of the Chamber of Architects, was asked for his views on this matter.

Over the past days, a series of activities related to architecture have been organised. What was the reason behind them?

The activities with an architectural theme were held primarily to bring architecture to a much wider audience. The activities marked World Architecture Day which fell on October 3.

They included an exhibition of projects designed by architects and architecture students. The aim was for more developers, clients, and architects to appreciate the importance of the quality of architecture and its bearing on our daily lives.

We had two internationally renowned speakers, among them Charles Knevitt who delivered a lecture on Sharing the City. Before joining the RIBA Trust last year, Mr Knevitt was an award-winning journalist, author and broadcaster.

Dennis Sharp, another internationally renowned speaker, focused on the development of modern architecture in Britain. It was a timely reminder that in Malta we also have modern architectural heritage worthy of note.

Possibly the most innovative aspect was the projection of a series of films, both fiction and non-fiction, with an architectural background.

Other events included a children's workshop, a three-day conference on the Founding Myths of Architecture and the annual SACES workshop.

These activities under the umbrella slogan Time For Architecture was organised by the Chamber of Architects with the Society of Architecture and Civil Engineering Students.

It was the chamber's Communications Standing Committee, chaired by architect David Felice, that came up with the idea.

We are already seeing some of the positive results of this initiative. There have been various contributions in the print media on matters related to architecture. Such a debate should put architecture further up in the national agenda and encourage more architects and clients to strive for good architecture.

Some are critical of the architecture produced by local architects. Does this bother the chamber?

The chamber welcomes this debate. Some of the buildings produced in the last few decades are nothing to be proud about. On the other hand, there has been some good architecture particularly in recent years. There are many examples of good architecture. It is not fair that people paint everything in black and white.

I should also mention a book which has just been published. Malta - War and Peace, an Architectural Chronicle 1800 - 2000 by Conrad Thake and the late Quentin Hughes. It provides an insight into more recent architecture in Malta.

In a letter to The Times, you referred to a national policy for architecture.

The chamber is in the process of drawing up a national policy for architecture. This policy will help to change people's perception of what architecture really is.

Many equate architecture with a construction process that at best produces a pretty façade. We have to change this mentality to one that accepts that architecture is the whole built environment, including the spaces between buildings and not just the buildings themselves. We need to bring architecture as a cultural experience closer to all the population. The policy will define a method for bringing about this change.

The theme of world architecture day was sharing the city. In what way is this relevant locally?

The theme refers to the sharing of all aspects of the city: its values, culture, and its heritage. Sharing its liveability and quality; sharing utility and excellence; sharing with the less privileged and the homeless; sharing its resources for a sustainable environment; and sharing its technology for humanity.

In many ways, this applies to our cities as well, although admittedly they are much smaller. However, we share common concerns such as degradation in certain areas, pollution, traffic congestion, decline in population, and conservation of historic buildings and areas, to mention just a few.

What is your role as secretary general the Union of Mediterranean Architects?

My triennial period as secretary general expires next January. My role does not differ much from that of secretary general in other organisations.

I had represented the chamber at the founding Assembly of UMAR in Rabat, Morocco in 1994, and am one of the three 'survivors' of that assembly who are still actively involved.

The union has been involved in EU-funded projects and programmes particularly those with a Euro-Med emphasis.