Architecture & Design

Architecture & Design | 7 WHAT ARE YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF ARCHITECTURE? There are various moments in my early life when I came into contact with the building trade which I was always attracted to. The unfinished qualities of a site of works, the stones, the dust, the unchoreographed dance of builders on ladders and in hollows in the ground, never failed to fascinate me. But I would say that my first discovery of architecture with a capital A took place one day while I was studying French in Besançon. It was the first time I was alone away from home and I was only sixteen. I knew nobody at the university and was left to my own devices. As a result, when, on one of my solitary walks on the university campus, I bumped into a group of Senegalese who invited me to join them at a feast to celebrate their National day, I immediately accepted. We hopped onto a bus and I spent the day with my new African friends in a nearby village drinking cider under a large marquee. On the way back, we stopped at a church which we sighted on the top of a hill and which I recognized from my stamp collection. It had nothing of the orthogonal, cubic qualities of the buildings I had encountered until then and it blew my mind. The church was Notre Dame du Haut by Le Corbusier. I'll never forget it's sculptural form, the projecting sail-like roof, the colored light streaming in from the stained glass windows, the mystic aura of its interior. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK? My work is actually the work of a whole team of architects, engineers, interior architects and historians led by David Felice, my partner and myself. It is the product of the co ordinated effort of a multitude of skills and the combination of a group of minds working in a synchronized pace. There are fifty of us at AP Valletta. It is like a large family, sharing a common vision, that of contributing in a positive way to the transformation that the urban fabric of the islands must necessarily undergo. It is a considered extrapolation of the architecture of the past and, hopefully, the inspiration for, and springboard to, a renewed architecture of the future, in a continuum that is seamless. And as much as it requires training, research, expertise and technology, it has become, for us, a natural vital activity, like eating and sleeping. WHAT LED TO YOUR BIGGEST SUCCESS AS AN ARCHITECT? My biggest success, I think, stems from my belief that the Architecture is not an ego thing, but an activity that develops out of the needs and ambitions of a society. Understanding the times you live in and the roots of the economic and social phenomena that characterise it, is fundamental to an architecture that is valid for its time. Moreover, I should add that, having studied Restoration of historic monuments in the Eternal City, I became also keenly aware of the spirit that makes buildings timeless and that allows them to continue to remain relevant long after their creation. There is no recipe for this quality but it is easily recognizable even by the untrained eye. I am, together with my colleagues, constantly in search of it, ineffable as it may seem. CAN YOU COMMENT ON SOME OF YOUR RECENT PROJECTS? Our most visible and prestigious projects include the extension of St John's Co-Cathedral Museum to house the splendid collection of Baroque tapestries designed by Peter Paul Rubens, and the restoration of the belfry of the Pro-Cathedral of St Paul. These are the two main temples of worship, one Catholic and the other Anglican, in our Capital city. They are, in more ways than one, the containers of our faiths, and as such, testimony to our belief that there is more to life than just that which is material. Architecture is about this conviction that by adding the spiritual to what is ostensibly just physical, you can transcend the boundaries and limitations of mere existence. We are very lucky, and, understandably, proud, to contribute to the architectural wealth of Valletta with our work on these projects. WHICH ARE THE PROJECTS YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF AND WHICH ARE YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE? Untrue as this may seem, I can find no way of expressing more interest in one project than in another. I guess it's like asking a parent which is their least favorite child. Every project is a favorite. We do all kinds of work of different nature and scale, from interiors to individual houses to projects of urban regeneration like the Valletta Waterfront or Dock No 1 in Cospicua. Even a property valuation, which is an area we specialise in, is a form of appreciation of a building, an understanding of its place within the life of an urban center and a way of guaranteeing its survival through the interest of a potential user or resident. That said, nothing could give me more pleasure than to hear the management of the Phoenicia Hotel express how proud they are of their new pool and spa, two recent projects that AP Valletta were responsible for. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST HIGHLIGHTED MILESTONE FOR YOU SO FAR? There are many milestones marking the path of AP Valletta's identity. Each one is rooted in the particular moment of the firm's life, projects commissioned, exhibitions organised and so on, and was responsible for steering the practice in a particular direction. One milestone that I am particularly attached to with a lot of affection, and, I would say, nostalgia, is a European students workshop (EASA) I attended as a tutor in 1997 that was organized on a disused train that left Copenhagen and took 350 students up to Narvik on the Arctic Circle. The train was converted into dormitories, bars, lecture and meeting rooms and became our home for two exciting weeks. It was an unforgettable experience that forged lasting friendships based on a common passion for Architecture. At least fifteen of the students I My biggest success, I think, stems from my belief that Architecture is not an ego thing, but an activity that develops out of the needs and ambitions of a society. Understanding the times you live in and the roots of the economic and social phenomena that characterise it, is fundamental to an architecture that is valid for its time " "

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