Laceable buildings rnacular
occupier, and the fruit of triedand-tested formulas which were passed on from generation to generation.
No architect could possibly design such buildings, as their beauty lies in the informal arrangement of the various volumes forming each part. In the Mellieħa façades, they are two of the plainest possible, and remind one that our vernacular architecture had no scope for visual niceties; in a way, a precursor of the “Form Follows Function” maxim coined by the Modernist Movement in the twentieth century. How can one say that such buildings have no architectural merit? Or that they are not worthy of preservation? Moreover, these buildings are particular to Malta, and are an important part of our architectural history. You cannot find them anywhere else, and we should be proud of them.
It is true that it is foreigners who are always more appreciative of a culture than the locals. This phenomenon applies also to our vernacular buildings. It was British expats who retired on Malta and began restoring our farmhouses and village houses which no-one gave any consideration to, which started the ‘house of character’ trend. They saw the value and charm of our traditional buildings and thanks to them many were saved. Since then, Malta has evolved as a nation, and 53 years on, with a reputable Faculty of the Built Environment at the University of Malta, a Structure Plan and a Cultural Heritage Act, we do look at things differently and appreciate the finer nuances of cultural heritage.
Modern flats and garages may also be considered as cultural heritage if they are of exceptional design and quality. However, the demolition of historical buildings to be replaced by mediocre developments is unpardonable.
The Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED) is also disregarded by ignoring the two urban objectives: “To improve the townscape and environment in historic cores and their setting with a presumption against demolition of property worthy of conservation” and “To identify, protect and enhance the character and amenity of distinct urban areas.”
What we are losing in allowing the demolition of these buildings is the very soul and character of Malta. We are also missing an opportunity to use this heritage to our advantage. Some clever examples of good conservation of vernacular buildings have yielded dividends in attracting the sort of tourists who take pleasure in discovering unique places to stay, rather than in cutand-paste mass-tourism hotels.
A restaurant in a building of character has half its success secured because of the atmosphere created, which can never be replicated. True regeneration will go a long way towards enhancing our built environment, but this does not mean destroying our simple architecture and rebuilding it according to one’s fancy. It has been handed down to us and we have the moral duty to ensure it will live on to enrich future generations.