THE DESIGN & INTERIORS EDITION
Construction is booming, and development permits are flowing out of the offices of the authority responsible for planning with no signs of slowing down. One may argue how much consideration is being provided to the quality of life of what’s going on around us, whether that’s infrastructure, demolition and construction, aesthetics or environmental impact. Dr Zammit graduated in 2002 and earned his professional warrant as an architect in 2003. He then read for a postgraduate MSc degree in town planning, specialising in urban design, at the Bartlett School of Planning, University College of London. He also read for a PhD in Urban Design and Planning that he completed in 2013. Following a period as a member of the Planning Appeals Board in Malta and a 10year stint in private practice, Zammit set up his own company, Studjurban. Nowadays, he also lectures on spatial planning, urban design and urban governance within the Faculty for the Built Environment at the University of Malta. He has also held an advisory role with the PA. Dr Zammit’s extensive qualifications and experience warrants him an excellent professional to discuss the urban development problems and challenges which the Maltese context presents. Infrastructure “When we talk about Malta in spatial terms, we often refer to the ‘urban conurbation’. In layman terms this has come about as towns and villages have grown and expanded to merge as one urban area, rather like a small city,” he says. “In the past, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, what contributed to this expansion was when large areas of land were subdivided into significantly sized residential plots and housing estates, often without proper ancillary amenities and supplementary land uses.” Dr Zammit explains that in such cases, the lack of a long-term strategy has subsequently created problems when many of these properties have been redeveloped into multiple residences, especially given the inadequate infrastructure. As a result, we are now facing a different reality. Space has
MONEY · 21
DESIGN
“It comes as no surprise; most of our planning has been reactive; we are dealing with the consequences of phenomenal growth. However, one may argue how sustainable such reactive measures are. Road widening may give the impression that it is solving the issue of bottle-necks but it doesn’t fix the issue of excessive car ownership, and more and more cars are arriving in Malta daily. “Sustainable contemporary urban design thinking is modelled around the accessibility to a diverse array of uses particularly within a 400- and 800-metre radius, corresponding to a comfortable five to 10-minute walking distance. This makes accessibility on foot possible and therefore reduces the need to use a car.” become a significant issue, and architects and planners are faced with the challenge of making the best use of the land that is available to them. It’s a dilemma that is multifaceted and immensely complex, as space in Malta comes at a high price, and not just financially. “To make better use of land, there is a need to create greater densities. This is where the concept of land intensification – possibly higher buildings – enters the scenario. The thinking here is that medium- or high-rise developments may have a smaller footprint and can, therefore, release valuable ground open space that can be used as a recreational area for everyone. Of course, there are huge consequences to this in terms of quality of life.”
“We need to provide practical transport solutions and alternatives to owning so many cars, possibly moving towards mobility-as-aservice solutions”. Sustainable planning Where does sustainability come into this you may ask? Dr Zammit is quick to comment: “The construction industry in Malta has a tremendous impact on the environment, but that also means there is much room for improvement. We have to be more conscious of the resources that are available to us and how we can use them. In Malta, height limitation within the development scheme is always taken as an absolute, not a maximum that may be reduced within different urban contexts. “This is an immense burden on the environment. Take, for instance, the case of Urban Conservation Areas. These are protected zones within central village cores, yet at the boundary where the zone finishes, larger buildings and eyesores can be built. It’s here that you find an absolute clash of both scale and aesthetic. I have proposed the definition of transition zones of development as we pan away from the central cores, and hopefully these may be the subject of future Local Plans.” “When it comes to housing, the shift must be on more affordable housing. By that, I mean for those who are above the thresholds for social housing but cannot cope with the market. Many people need support in →