Login
Registered users
The client approached the studio with an open brief with the intention of transforming an existing storage facility and commercial space into a residential complex. Following a study of the site [1480 square metres footprint] and its current buildings that date from the 1990s, the architects drew inspiration from the rhythm and proportion of the existing industiral structure while looking to create an urban living scheme that combines elements of residential, commercial, and public spaces as their response to our post-pandemic society. The project that emerged is a statement in community-driven architecture that moves away from the quantitative-based approach to redevelopment that is most commonly adopted on the island and which has led to its thickened urban grain.
Community is the fulcrum upon which the project rests. This is expressed in its architecture, which sees the two surrounding streets on opposite ends of the site connected by pedestrian walkways at street level, which invite the use of the space by both residents and neighbouring communities alike. This inclusive spirit is also reflected in the proposed small-scale commercial and amenity spaces accessible to residents and non-residents, while the central amphitheatre serves as a node that provides access to the apartments above while offering passersby a space within which to meet, rest, and connect.
A light-touch approach to architecture is integral to the studio’s design ethos, and this is seen in the project’s use of the existing concrete frame structure that is repurposed as both a design element that references the sites industrial past while supporting the elevated walkways across the residential levels above. This philosophy is also reflected in the studio’s choice of not excavating or digging further but rather deciding to adapt the project to the current configuration of the site plot with minimal intervention. With regards to the interiors, these are fitted out with locally designed and manufactured pieces of furniture, which are constructed predominantly from recycled particle board with a laminated surface finish.
Vivo Village represents a break from the ordinary approach to redevelopment that characterises much of what is built in modern Malta. A mix-use project that sees a present-day commercial showroom/warehouse transformed into a community-centred space, it blurs the boundaries between the residential and the commercial while striving to do more with less without disrupting the harmony of aesthetics. Using the current concrete framework as a focal point both in terms of design and function, the project reflects an understanding of the fundamental role of architecture in community building. The residences have been conceived as one, two, and three-bedroom dwellings configured from 3x3 functional building blocks and have been designed from the inside out to ensure that the everyday needs of people are met and supported. The way in which the apartments have been slotted within the concrete frame structure encourages the daily interaction between neighbours, envisioning a diverse demographic to inhabit the project while also seeing the surrounding communities interacting with residents through its commercial and multi-use public spaces. In this way, Vivo Village is more than simply a residential complex; it strives to genuinely elevate the living experience of its residents and of those surrounding the project, all while spearheading an alternative architectural approach to building on the island.
This is the fourth project we are developing together with Valentino Architects - after the restoration of 2 guesthouses in a historic part of Malta, and a larger guesthouse in Malta's main touristic area. We have since developed a relationship of trust and mutual understanding, which made Valentino Architects the natural choice to develop this site - one which is very close to me as it was built by my father in the 1990's when he was expanding his bathroom business.
Valentino Architects, a design-led architecture studio based in Valletta, Malta, places collaboration at the heart of all that it does. Working closely with consultants, contractors, and material suppliers, the studio designs high-quality spaces and objects that emerge as tailored solutions through a process of open dialogue.
Its work is a study of form, proportion, detailing, and texture and is defined by an economy of scale, colour, and material. Upholding a design ethos that is sensitive to the social, environmental, and urban impacts of architecture, its non-hierarchical team works closely together to create architecture that is both user- and context-driven.
The studio embraces a growing interest in alternative urban development and sustainable solutions while informing its design, ideas, and concepts through writing, research, and active industry participation both locally and internationally.
