Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1502331
26 | Architecture & Design originally boasted of a small 'remissa' or stable which was purposely situated at the front of the house to facilitate the service that the farmers provided to the community. The house also played an important role during the war, as the underground 'Kantina' was directly connected to the subterranean passages leading to the main bomb shelter in the area. The local community benefited on many occasions from the location and versatility of this house. However, the most recent development would benefit travellers from way beyond the village core of Żebbug. During the initial stages of the development, the house was restored to much of its former glory using very traditional methods. All the stones were cleaned thoroughly so as to bring out the attractive pink / calcium colour from behind the oil-based paint and patches of cement which were periodically splashed onto the walls over the years so as to hide the 'dnubiet' or sins left by stone erosion. All stone walls were regrouted using stone coloured hydraulic lime and left bare so as to showcase their beauty in all their flaws and partially eroded features. Stones in an advanced state of erosion were replaced strategically so as not to mar the composition of the internal and external walls and facades. The doors and windows were rebuilt in painted timber and glazing was installed in most apertures to flood the interior of the building with natural lighting. The wooden beams and 'xorok', or stone slabs, were also restored to their original splendour with the beams cleared of any invasive insect species and the stone xorok cleaned and white-washed so as to add brightness to the already (naturally) well - lit rooms. The restoration of the walls, roofs and apertures was, however, only the initial stage of the work envisaged for the house, as the Simpsons loved to add their personal touch to each and every room. Clive and Luda used to spend hours at our architects' office, discussing the project with Perit Tony and convincing him to change the plans multiple times. He, in turn, would visit the site regularly and eventually became equally enthusiastic about the project, allowing, during their onsite / office brainstorming sessions, to let their imaginations spiral, often referring to designs they had seen in magazines or architectural features encountered during their travels. It was during one of these 'sessions' that it suddenly dawned on them that the project that had started as a family home was starting to take on the identity of a hospitality establishment. The rest is history. Being fervent and seasoned travellers, the Simpsons have journeyed around most of the globe, visiting many different cultures and touching realities far away from the ones we are all accustomed to within the Maltese archipelago. However, they do not regard themselves as conventional tourists in that they believe in the 'home-away-from-home' philosophy. They want to feel like they are being treated as a local family and allowed to share in the local " While alterations are considered to have become standard procedure, the same may not be said in the case of LULU, situated in the heart of Żebbuġ, where a complete 'change of plans' from a family home to a boutique hotel was requested half-way through the project "