Domus Zamittello: Breathing Life

Domus Zamittello

BREATHING LIFE BACK INTO THE STRUCTURE By Edwin Mintoff

The elaborate stone-built defense that is Malta’s capital city Valletta, is one of the most impressive military architectural monuments in Europe and is well-endowed with remarkable buildings, amongst which is Domus Zamittello – a palatial townhouse which enjoys a strategic and prominent position lining the main street which carves through the capital.

The structure was found to be in a state of considerable disrepair and, through EM Architect’s design implementations, life was breathed back into the derelict structure with its conversion into a boutique hotel.

The palazzo, now a boutique hotel of the highest quality known as Domus Zamittello, was originally part of the estate of the Auberge d’Italie. It was written about by Victor Denaro (1959) who noted that in 1716 it was occupied by Comm. Fra Sigismondo Piccolomini after the death of Comm. Fra Vincenzo Galluccia.

Our design process, which began more than 17 years ago, concentrated on respecting the integral historic fabric of the building whilst simultaneously improving the façade and interior spaces. Additionally, the project also functions at an urban scale. Its restoration has effectively contributed towards the urban renewal of Valletta and in particular to its immediate surroundings, by restoring the different façades to provide a more homogenous stone profile.

The rehabilitated layout was designed to maximize engagement between the edifice and passers-by. One enters the hotel from Republic Street though large arched doorways which lead directly into the courtyard from the main hall which is decorated by four Tuscan columns. The hotel also has a distinctive openair terrace on the third floor, allowing guests to admire spectacular views of the Gateway to Valletta while overlooking Republic Street.

The boutique hotel now accommodates 21 rooms, including six suites. Each individual room has a different layout and therefore all rooms offer a unique charm. Attention to detail and guest comfort was provided in all elements of the hotel design, including but not limited to individually controlled air conditioning, underlying heated and double-glazed windows.

The concept governing all design decisions was that of focusing on and exhibiting the historical and cultural layers of this edifice. Constructed out of beautiful, soft globigerina limestone, this palatial townhouse was adorned with elaborate stone carvings and ornamentation.

Unfortunately wartime damage, compounded with subsequent careless civil works

whilst forming openings to accommodate commercial premises, had disfigured the original built form. Our design sought to reverse these harmful acts through incorporating stone arches within the built fabric so as to reinstate structural stability whilst simultaneously emu-

BEFORE AFTER

BEFORE AFTER lating the original building façade as collaborated by mid-nineteenth century photographs.

All the modern interventions are distinctly visible when compared to the original structure. The distinction between old and new, existing and altered is mediated via the use of contemporary materials, so as to ensure that the timeline of the building is visually clear.

During the process of rehabilitation and construction, two subterranean basement levels were found. One of these levels was unfortunately still infilled with material from the Second World War and one level was in a state of considerable disrepair, but was still being used as a store. These were then proposed to house ancillary facilities like a kitchen, a gym, a spa and also back of house facilities.

Extensive restoration was carried out with the utmost care and any modern interventions were planned to be distinctly visible when compared to the original structure. The entire structure from the first floor upwards had been vacant for a considerable number of years and was in a severely dilapidated state.

On the ground floor level, some of the existing palazzo building had been rented or sold to commercial entities and these were purchased back by the proprietor at great expense. These spaces also had to be completely cleared out and restored. The restoration works themselves took years to complete and foreign specialists were brought in to carry out such precise and skilled tasks.

Severely weathered stone was replaced whilst salvageable stones were restored; decayed mortar joints were raked out and re-pointing subsequently took place; replastering was initiated, coating tired walls in a fresh lime wash, making sure that this delicate construction material was allowed to breath properly and expel moisture; rusted metal inserts were removed and scars filled; wooden louvers, known locally as persjani, together with the famous Maltese balconies were all also repaired, together with decorative wroughtiron railings; all internal timber doors were found to be representative of their time and were therefore preserved and restored with a suitable wood preserver and a natural wood varnish; broken stone slabs, known locally as xorok, had to be replaced.

Within select portions of the building, steel beams were inserted into the existing masonry structure in order to ensure structural integrity. These were then clad in timber, replicating the exact proportions of the former elements of the ceiling. The building had many architectural

BEFORE

features which we wanted to restore and conserve for future generations: mainly the visually impressive staircase, the gran salone at piano nobile level and the coffered ceiling and frieze of the gran salone.

The timber coffered ceiling in the gran salone at the first floor level is an architectural element of significant historic value. This ceiling had to be completely restored and some of the missing plaster of paris rosettes had to be replaced.

The existing courtyard had previously been covered by a temporary structure (corrugated sheeting) and our design decision was to maximize the daylight and natural crossventilation that could be gained from an open courtyard. A retractable glass cover was designed, so that the hotel could enjoy the courtyard’s sustainable and aesthetic benefits

AFTER

whilst ensuring shelter from rain.

A number of stone balavostri (balustrades) within the existing internal parapet wall were found to be severely deteriorated with visible cracks and therefore had to be replaced with identical copies. The old balcony running along the interior of the courtyard had to be repaired and in some parts replaced due to structural safety concerns. A large cleaning exercise had to be conducted to remove rubble, weed and vegetation, as well as to remove accretions and old cement rendering from internal courtyard walls.

This project was awarded the Planning Authority Award for Conservation Architecture 2018 and the Din l-Art Ħelwa Award in the Category for the Rehabilitation and Re-Use of Buildings in 2020. It was also shortlisted for the Premju Galizia 2018 Awards. n

The concept governing all design decisions was that of focusing on and exhibiting the historical and cultural layers of this edifice.

BEFORE AFTER

‘After' photos courtesy of Domus Zamittello

Edwin Mintoff is an architect and civil engineer. He holds a doctorate in the field of architecture and urban design.