Architecture & Design

Architecture & Design | 15 four oculi situated beneath the existing marble tiling forming the Main Altar. At times, this implied, incredibly complicated operations to direct the ducts without intervening on the historic fabric and finishes. The ducts run through existing alcoves, existing openings, beneath the timber choir stalls and eventually beneath the existing marble flooring. A detailed survey of the existing marble flooring was prepared. This allowed the exact route to be plotted, and the exact number of tiles, which had to be carefully-removed, to be clearly identified. All the marble tiles were duly marked (numbered) and mapped (on drawings and photographs), thereby ensuring that they would be eventually correctly reinstated with their correct orientation. The ducting used beneath the Main Altar were custom- made, and structurally-capable of withstanding the superimposed dead and live floor loading. The ducts were manufactured on site, to fit within the very restricted spaces, using polypropylene material so as to avoid corrosion of the ducting. Each length and section was made to measure. When the marble tiles were being carefully removed, an older finish floor level (FFL), consisting of a ċangatura (soft stone) finish, was discovered. Upon further investigation, more of the ċangatura finish was uncovered and eventually, towards the centre of the Main Altar, the original altar steps were uncovered, thus confirming the much smaller previous Main Altar of the Co-Cathedral. The historical significance of these findings has been duly reported by the Curator, Ms Cynthia de Giorgio, in various published papers. The final technical design also included a viewing platform gallery and an access door leading into the Crypt. The door is a custom curved glass door enclosing the viewing platform gallery, which allows visitors to safely view the Crypt, since the time that it has been closed to public viewing over the past fifteen years, whilst also allowing access within the Crypt for special occasions as well as conservation and restoration works. Incidentally, the glass door design, which used the maximum clear door opening width available, was put to good use in December 2021, when the Crypt was chosen as the final resting place of Fra Matthew Festing. This restoration project was undertaken over five years, and was carried out in collaboration with Galea Curmi Engineering, Bill Weedman, Bajada New Energy Ltd., Agius Stone Works Ltd., MMCL and the very dedicated staff at St. John's Co-Cathedral under the guidance of the Curator, Ms Cynthia de Giorgio, on behalf of the St. John Co-Cathedral Foundation. Original altar steps integrated into the Main altar finish Reinforced and strengthened duct inserted within the space available with underlying geotextile Supply air being linked to one of the Oculai Custom made ducts being manufactured on site to fit within the restricted spaces

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