The clever conversions of a 1970s villa and a 1930s corner house are the focus of Places: Design & Living – the architecture and interiors magazine that shines a spotlight on heritage and the environment too.

Out with The Sunday Times of Malta tomorrow, the story of the Birżebbuġa seafront property, shows how it was adapted to its showpiece façade, contributing to the uniqueness of the context and sending a message about the possibility of creating a contemporary home while valuing the past.

In the case of the 1970s villa in San Pawl tat-Tarġa, with its injection of light and greenery, its conversion is a breath of fresh air as its architects are also intent on raising awareness and safeguarding modernist buildings.

Design and inspiration are also seen in Alexandra Alden’s latest music video collaboration, which shows how art transcends physical boundaries and how the confines of COVID-19 have stimulated creation.

From the port city of Rotterdam, readers can float on her latest single, Helium, to Valletta to learn about a real estate company that has focused exclusively on property in the most sought-after address, showing how to build without gobbling up an additional square metre of space.

The magazine also picks up the pieces of traditional Maltese tiles to reveal what was salvaged from a demolished Mosta house when the photo of its ‘homeless’ door did the rounds.

From the old to the new, five-star luxury finds its place in the June issue of the magazine, with a taste of the Malta Marriot’s stately presidential suite, while a cold contemporary apartment is imbued with warmth, showing how to turn it into a place to call home.