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MT 21 January 2018

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maltatoday SUNDAY 21 JANUARY 2018 VIII Valletta 2018 The Valletta Design Cluster The embellishment of Triton Square AT the bottom of Old Mint Street sits an old disused fountain, mark- ing the site of a natural freshwa- ter spring which appears on the earliest maps of the Valletta. This spring became the source of life and livelihood in the neighbour- hood, and four hundred years ago, an abattoir (Biċċerija) was built immediately downstream from it. Over the centuries, this remark- able complex evolved to host a wide range of other uses, including bakeries, workshops, and informal residential functions. Today, the building is missing some roofs, and is visited mostly by local cats. But an ambitious and sensitive restoration process is underway, to restore this place as a focus of neighbourhood activity, by con- verting the Biccerija into its newest role: the home of the Valletta Design Cluster. The vision of the Valletta De- sign Cluster is to to become the foremost hub of its kind facilitat- ing access to design practice as a contributor to people's cultural, social, and economic well-being. It will be a place where people can create, learn, share, and collaborate on projects within a range of de- sign disciplines. It is a place where aspiring entrepreneurs can design a new business or service to fill an unmet need. It is a place where interdisci- plinary teams – architecture, engineering, ICT, social innova- tion, creative services, digital arts, amongst others - can develop their skills and share their expertise, develop project and network in- ternationally through mentorship and facilitated access. It is a place where seminars, digital fabrication, and community group initiatives can interact and intersect. The Valletta Design Cluster embraces a broad understanding of "design". To design means to think critically about one's envi- ronment, to focus on a problem worth solving or an opportunity to improve human experience, and then to explore, plan, and realise a new way to make things better, keeping the end user at the centre of the whole process. The Valletta Design Cluster wel- comes anyone with a creative skill, interest, or problem they want to solve. We hope to attract a diverse community: students and recent graduates, budding entrepreneurs, experienced professionals seeking networking or mentorship op- portunities, community groups and NGOs developing projects and initiatives, and anyone with a crea- tive skill, interest, or a passion for creative problem solving. During 2018, the works on the conversion of the Old Abattoir into the Valletta Design Cluster will be entering a new exciting phase, with physical works planned to commence in the first few months of the year. As part of the project's commu- nity engagement process, the Clus- ter is launching a series of guided visits of the project site aimed at familiarising potential users and collaborators with the space and with the preliminary plans for the functions, services and possibilities that this new facility will be able to provide. We are keeping these group visits very small, so we can use the op- portunity to discuss participants' reactions based on their initial encounter with the site. Through communication with the neigh- bourhood, we have already sent invitations to all of the residents of the Biċċerija area to participate in these visits and give us their views. Anyone who feels they may have an interest in getting to know more about the Cluster through participation in these tours is invited to contact the Valletta 2018 Foundation on 21242018 or info@ valletta2018.org The Valletta Design Cluster offers an environment and framework for the support and promotion of design activity in Malta. It promotes design as a catalyst for innovation, and as a discipline that can create positive impacts for communities and individuals To design means to think critically about one's environment, to focus on a problem worth solving or an opportunity to improve human experience, and then to explore, plan, and realise a new way to make things better DENIS A. DARMANIN THE embellishment and up- grading which formed part of the Triton Square project was intended to satisfy a number of objectives, namely to • re-establish the Square as a majestic square with the central fountain as the main attraction. • convert the square into a central meeting point for social, cultural and entertainment activities and events. • revive the square as a pedes- trian area from the Biskuttin to the City Gate. • make the pedestrian passage fully accessible to all. • allow the operation require- ments in and around the square for buses, taxis, cabs and other service providers in an organ- ised and safe way. In addition to creating an open space for all to enjoy and frame a clear view of the Vallet- ta enceinte, a primary objective of the project was to remove vehicular traffic, particularly route buses from Triton Square. A new bus alighting platform was constructed along the Biskuttin in Vjal ir-Re Dwardu, and bus parking bays on the op- posite side of the same road and at other locations on the side of the square and along Vjal Nel- son, to complement the bus ter- minus located in the ditch along the St James Counterguard. Other traffic management is- sues concerning most trans- port systems including tourist coaches, open top tourist buses, taxis and karozzini were also at- tended to and spaces for the use of each have been created. The design also ensured that pedestrians, including persons with particular needs, could easily access the entire square. Moreover, the locally innova- tive, introduction of directional hardstone paving is intended to facilitate pedestrian access for persons with visual impairment. The old shabby kiosks located along the sides of the square were all demolished . 12 new kiosks, all of modern design, will be installed by the 1st quarter of 2018 along the two sides of the square, with ten intended for private operators as per allocations by the Lands Authority. The 'Ficus Nitida' trees lo- cated in the Triton Square, and which were creating extensive damage to the underground structures of the ravelin, were transplanted to areas at Ta' Qali. They were replaced with more than fifty new indigenous Holm Oak trees symmetrically planted to enhance and accen- tuate the axiality of the square. The trees will be irrigated from 20 underground reservoirs purposely built to harvest rain water from the Square. In total these reservoirs hold around 1,000 cubic metres of water. The paving materials used in the design of Triton Square and the Biskuttin area, cover- ing an area of around 13.500m2 is mainly local hardstone from a Gozitan quarry, matching the material used in the City Gate Project from a quarry in Gozo. The large hardstone paving blocks and paving slabs of Triton Square reflect the un- derground forms of the former St Magdalene's Ravelin and out- works that had existed in this area and were lost in time. Another interesting feature is the hardstone staircase that leads to Triton Fountain, which also outlines the trace of the former ravelin. The paving, lighting and street furniture are all designed to frame City Gate and its impos- ing fortifications and direct us towards Valletta proper. The Triton Square and the Biskuttin area, which until recently were two distinct locations, have now become one urban pedestrian space. Vehicular access will only allow for the occasional vehicles; such as carnival floats, emergency vehicles, official cars, etc.

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