Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1212321
20.02.2020 4 NEWS ARCHITECTURAL Terrazzo which is locally manufactured and export- ed internationally by Halmann Vella Ltd, was the protagonist of the Vicalvi 'Love Terrazzo' stand at the 2020 Sur- face Design Show in London, the lead- ing event for architects and designers to explore the best in surface material innovation. The nature-infused 'Terrazzo Gar- den' was designed by Mizzi Studio in a way that showcases the versatility, tactile quality, and aesthetic appeal of terrazzo whilst offering an interactive space that encourages human explora- tion and interest. e display featured a series of incre- mentally heighted terrazzo columns, with a colour scheme drawing on col- our trends that are dominant in today's design and architectural world. As the columns fan outward from their low- est point at the centre, they grow taller and lighter in colour, creating a land- scape of complementary chromatic gradients. e uniformity of the col- umns' diameter is echoed by a circular brass-inlayed pattern on the base of the installation, with glistening tones that offer a pleasant contrast against the earthy brown terrazzo. The entire space was backed with a moss wall which amplifies the rich- ness of the terrazzo through its tonal and material contrast. Finally, a selec- tion of plants was placed at the edge of the terrazzo wave, housed with- in spherically recessed columns that function as over-sized planters. "When we were approached to de- sign an installation out of this time- less material, we knew we wanted to be as experimental as possible," said Mizzi Studio Director, Jonathan Miz- zi. "By introducing colour, height var- iation and the integration of organic elements, we knew we could create something really distinctive and un- expected. We wanted to put forward not just a beautiful showpiece, but an interactive space that people felt com- pelled to inhabit – something that vis- itors would want to explore through sight, smell and touch". The Terrazzo Garden manufactured by Halmann Vella Ltd makes use of five blocks of terrazzo, rendered in five unique colours. Each of the pre-cast terrazzo columns were cre- ated through specialist cutting and faceting of large-scale blocks in Mal- ta, with facets being water-jetted to achieve their final smooth cylindrical appearance. "Terrazzo tiles are an integral part of our company history as they were first crafted by my grandfather and his brother in our original plant in Mgarr back in 1954" said Hugh Vella – Di- rector of Operations. "Architectural Terrazzo offers a solution where the unique material which is produced locally can be customized and trans- formed to the desired form. Being tra- ditionally constructed using marble, quartz, glass, and granite off-cuts, terrazzo offers considerable sustaina- ble advantages in addition to its visual and tactile quality. It was a pleasure to collaborate with industry leaders Miz- zi Studio and Vicalvi and have the op- portunity to showcase Architectural Terrazzo in a unique manner through this interactive Terrazzo display," add- ed Owen Farrugia – Director of Sales and Business Management. The Surface Design Show was held between 11th and 13th February 2020 at the Business Design Centre in Lon- don. Local companies join forces in international design show ITALIAN cruise ship company MSC is eyeing the purchase of a 50% stake in Malta's Palumbo Shipyard. The information was divulged by the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority that issued a noti- fication of market concentration for public feedback. "The nature of the concentration is an acquisition of joint control by MSC Cruises S.A. of Palumbo Malta Ship- yard Limited and Palumbo Shipyard Limited," the authority said. Palumbo took over the remnants of the State-owned Malta Drydocks when this was disbanded 10 years ago. It acquired a 30-year concession to run the Bormla shipyard and eventu- ally the yacht repair facility. The shipyard includes Dock 6, also known as the Red China Dock, which is one of the largest dry docks in the Mediterranean. It has placed among the top three worldwide in the cruise ship refitting. MSC operates cruise ships that also use Valletta as a stopover port. The proposed deal with MSC would have positive economic benefits for Malta, sources said. Palumbo Group has also positioned itself among the top global players in the superyacht sphere, and this part- nership with MSC ties in with the company's vision to transform the Cottonera shipyard into one of the best in the world. When contacted, a spokesperson for Palumbo Group said: "We feel it is not prudent to comment for the time being until everything has been finalised." Italian cruise ship company to buy 50% stake in Palumbo shipyard Palumbo was given a 30-year lease to invest €31 million in the ship repair facilities