Architecture & Design

10 | Architecture & Design included. He was an ardent lover, a strong, wise and open-minded man. WHAT ARE THE LATEST TRENDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY INFLUENCING ARCHITECTURE IN MALTA? Hard as I try, I cannot think of any trends especially because, I think, by the time you separate the spate of ordinary building that is afflicting our island from the real essays in architecture, there is too little in number of the latter to be able to create any trend. When building and business cease to be the badly bewitched bedfellows that they are, perhaps there will be greater faith in the tangible and intangible qualities of good architecture, and more scope for trendsetting and trend-spotting. WHAT CURRENT MALTA ARCHITECTURE PLEASES YOU AND WHAT HURTS? Let me just start with what hurts. What hurts is what I see all around me of the lack of awareness of the beautiful variety of life, the variety in Nature and in the work of our forebears, that far outshines the variety that a consumerist economic engine requires to keep the wheel turning. In fifty years, Malta has jumped from what was mostly rural into full blown consumerism. Every society grows and transforms itself for as long as it's alive, but erratic unplanned growth and loss of timeless values will certainly kill the goose of golden egg fame. And assuming that the value of the golden egg is its beauty of form and it's gilded shell, and not just its price, I think we may be getting it all wrong. On the other hand there is for me, the great pleasure of seeing young firms, many of them created by friends and ex-colleagues, who, in spite of the hurdles, set- backs, discouragement and disappointments of the profession, continue to soldier on and to resist the temptation to give up. They have my full admiration. WHAT DO YOU ENVISION FOR THE FUTURE? I am hopeful that AP Valletta will continue to evolve its identity, keeping abreast with new developments in architectural philosophy and technologies, and remaining relevant both on the local scene and internationally. It's contribution to the urban fabric of the island cannot outdo the tremendous amount of building which is currently changing the spirit of the country, but with precious collaborations with political, economic and cultural entities and the superposition of expertise in planning, transport, landscaping and architecture, I think we can hope for some exciting times ahead. Above all I believe AP Valletta will continue to bridge the gap between past and future, local and global, real and virtual and, especially, theory and practice. " When building and business cease to be the badly bewitched bedfellows that they are, perhaps there will be greater faith in the tangible and intangible qualities of good architecture "

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