Updated March 4 to include public award winner

The Valletta Design Cluster, the Sterling HQ, the Imperial Residential Home and the Portomaso Laguna are some of the projects that took the top spots at the 2021 Malta Architecture and Spatial Planning (MASP) Awards held last Saturday night.

The MASP Awards, which are held under the patronage of the president of Malta, aim to promote and give recognition to quality architectural and interior design projects that promise to leave a positive mark for decades to come. The awards celebrate the meticulous work and innovation of the people behind these projects – from established professionals to graduating students.

This year, the prestigious Presi­dent’s Award was conferred on Perit Konrad Buhagiar for his outstanding contribution to the education, theory and practice of architecture and his distinguished lifetime service towards the profession.

The Rehabilitation and Conservation Award was won by the Restoration Directorate for the Valletta Design Cluster. The disused Grade 1 scheduled building within the heart of lower Valletta was rescued from obsolescence and given a new lease of life through sensitive adaptive reuse. 

The ‘House for Two Sisters’, in Senglea, by MODEL Architects and the Ċentru Parrokkjali Santu Rokku, in Valletta, by Perit Silvienne Camilleri received a special commendation.

AP Valletta won the Restoration Award for the Manoel Theatre, in Valletta. This project illustrates that high-quality restoration can be achieved on the basis of extensive research into the history of the building as well as its socio-political and architectural context. 

“Awards celebrate the meticulous work and innovation of the people behind these projects”

One of the key components of the project was the reconstruction of the façade in accordance with the original façade drawing within the 18th-century Cabreo Vilhena, a volume of plans for the theatre now found at the National Library. AP Valletta creatively suggested subtle changes to the façade to accommodate new elements which allowed the façade to assume its historic prominence.

The restoration of Lija’s Belvedere by Perit Amanda De Giovanni and Marsa’s ‘Concrete Water Tower’ by Perit Ruben Paul Borg were given a special commendation.

Perit Kurt Sammut Alessi was the winner of the Public Vote for his project 4, 6, 8, Tower Road. The project, in the heart of Sliema, restored a three-storey building while extending it in a way that respected the underlying building. Traditional materials were used throughout. 

The project struck a chord with the public, winning the public vote. 

Sammut Alessi said the project showed that extensions to buildings could contribute to Malta's touristic product if done well, especially in the middle of a development zone. 

The Sterling HQ building, in San Ġwann by Christian Spiteri Architects was the winner of the Design Award for Good Architecture, Building and Structure. The design is a play on visual lightness and heaviness that required the solution of several design challenges through structural design acumen. Serving as a multifunctional space, the design successfully addressed the client’s requirement for warehousing, manufacturing, exhibition spaces and offices within the same building.

A special commendation within this category was given to MODEL Architects for ‘House 51’,  in Sliema, and EM Architects for ‘OneOneO’, in Gżira.

De Micoli & Associates won the Residential Architecture Award for the Portomaso Laguna. The jury considered the project a high-quality solution to a design brief that required the prioritisation of the waterside location. The project also showcases several energy efficient measures to minimise thermal transmittance through the building fabric, including overhang shading to add support to the thermal performance of the specialised glass of the façades. 

‘Marian’s Place’, in St Paul’s Bay,  by MODEL Architects & CVC Architecture Studio and the project titled ‘Valuing the Past/Integrating the Contemporary’, in Sliema, by Studjurban received a special commendation.

The Public Open Space Award was won by the Restoration Directorate and Tetsuo Kondo Architects for the Roof Garden and Green Wall at the Valletta Design Cluster. The project is a flagship example of what can be achieved with vision and resilience and is now a new public green space in Valletta. The soft landscaping was extensively researched to provide a sensory experience to the visitor, reflecting the typical colours, scents and characteristics of the Mediterranean scrub.

Chris Briffa Architects won the Commercial and Public Buildings Award for the SAW Factory and Offices, in Qormi. Natural light, ventilation, thermal comfort, inspiring interiors and an iconic structure set to contrast with the industrial neighbourhood were key factors in the innovative design. 

The Interior Architecture Award for Residential Projects was won by Daniel Scerri Periti for their project ‘Change in Direction’. The jury deemed the residential transformation project to be a lesson in the reimagination of an existing space to create a home that meets the client’s needs in a very personal manner. 

A special commendation was given to AP Valletta and Daniel Scerri Periti for ‘Valletta Townhouse’ and ‘Zen’ in Żejtun, respectively.

3DM Architecture were the winners of the Interior Architecture Award for Commercial & Public Buildings for their Portughes Outlet project, in Swieqi. This project presents a new aesthetic for a laundromat, using untraditional colours through the use of contemporary materials in its design approach.

The Maltese Office, in Marsa, by MODEL Architects was given a special commendation. 

University Architectural students Maria Bilocca and Mireille Tabone received the Urban Planning Concept Award. Their project is an investigation of voids – forgotten, wasted or dead spaces in Corradino industrial estate, with the intent to activate the voids and rethink the food and material industries and their waste. The jury found the concept to be very well articulated and detailed, having insightful visualisations that reflect the depth of thought.

A special commendation was given to architecture student Thomas Mifsud for his concept project ‘Water Archive’ and to Katrina Grech Mallia for her project ‘An Antithesis to the Shifting Baseline Syndrome’. 

The Imperial Residential Home for the Elderly in Sliema by Foresite FS Design and MED Design received the Hospitality, Tourism Accommodation & Leisure Award. This project was deemed “an exemplary transformation” of one of the oldest buildings in Sliema. With an architectural style that is in keeping with its use, the project accomplished the restoration of the original historic building while providing top-notch facilities, the jury said.

The Architectural Photography Award was won by Rakel Vella. The winning image is a commendable abstract of the architectural subject due to the composition and visual impact of the photograph, with light and shade being used to highlight the straight lines of the building in the image.

For more information, visit www.maspawards.com.