Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547436
Architecture & Design | 21 At ground floor, the house opens generously towards the garden. The boundary wall provides privacy from the road, while a deep concrete loggia shelters the living spaces from the Mediterranean sun and creates an in-between space between house and landscape. Above, where the house is more exposed to the street and summer heat, openings become narrower and are protected by timber purtelli, recalling the solid-to-void proportions of traditional Maltese homes. The loggia became the defining architectural element — and an exploration of contemporary craft. Traditional Maltese arches were historically shaped in stone through the skill of master masons. At ĀCHI, this language is translated into another material and another generation of craftsmanship: pigmented concrete cast in situ through carefully made timber formwork. The apparent simplicity of the arches relies on the precision and experience of the builders and formwork makers, making construction itself part of the architectural expression. The architecture is also designed to change with the landscape. An olive tree grows through the loggia, while the pool slips beneath its arches. Throughout the day, sunlight moves across the concrete and water reflects into the interiors, allowing the house to continually shift with light and shadow. Materials were chosen to age rather than remain pristine. Local limestone, warm pigmented concrete, timber, terrazzo and microcement create a restrained, tactile palette, complemented by bespoke timber purtelli. Natural weathering, patina and subtle changes in colour are intended to become part of the house's character over time. Inside, curves, arches and filtered light continue at a softer scale, connecting the rooms to the architecture outside. The result is a home shaped around family life, climate and landscape. ĀCHI is not a reproduction of a traditional Maltese house. It is an attempt to carry forward some of its enduring qualities — depth, shade, proportion, craftsmanship and a close relationship with place — through a contemporary architectural language.