Alec Groysman: Reflection about Azure Window, Part 1, "And Could You?"

Alec Groysman, PhD, Doctor of Chemistry. The Chairman of the Israeli Society of Chemical Engineers and Chemists, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. www.alecgroysman.com

1. And could you?

“Would you play Nocturne on a drainpipe flute?” (Vladimir Mayakovsky, a Soviet poet, 1893-1930)

I have never been to Malta, although I live at the Mediterranean Sea, in Israel, in the small settlement of Shekhaniya at the top of a mountain of the same name, 30 km north to Haifa. We can see the caves of Rosh Ha-Nikra from my house, formed by the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. Despite the fact that seawater is a habitat for fauna and flora, it is very dangerous for the living and inanimate world. I went down many times into these calcareous caves and observed how the forms of solid rocks were changed with time. And the moment will come when the halls and vaults will collapse under the constant rushes of the waves. So what? Will this natural beauty perish?

Yesterday morning I accidentally stumbled upon the “Heart of Malta” – a small article on the Internet. About brave, original, no analogies, the project of restoring the sea capes destroyed by nature. A Russian architect with the epic name Svetozar (meaning “illuminated with light”) Andreev from St. Petersburg, Russia, proposed a fantastic, non-trivial, innovative solution. The small country of Malta situated in the center of the Mediterranean Sea had a beautiful “Azure Window” as one of the symbols of Malta. How many beautiful movies were filmed with this 29-meter window arch?! However, the waves and the wind destroyed this charming “window” on March 8, 2017.

Why not restore it? With benefits for art and nature. So, for humans. I was shocked by the brave decision to compensate for what could not be saved in time for the enjoyment of future generations.

I have been engaged for many years in the choice of materials and their resistance, deliver lectures at the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) and at other universities around the world.

I would think about a concrete structure. However, the architect Svetozar Andreev proposed to recreate the “Azure Window” from the metal. This solution is much more environmentally friendly, more elegant, and more durable. His proposal to create the Cultural Center of Future Arts, Technologies and Sciences within the 5-stories metal construction is the right approach to the development and preservation of our spiritual values. I see in this Center an awesome interaction between the “three cultures”. This is a jump into the future. I am sure this will be the new symbol of Malta. How far-sighted the government of Malta will be if it implements this unique project!

Someone will ask why to interfere with nature or create an eclectic mix of architecture and nature? Please, recall how either the Parisians resisted the construction of the Eiffel Tower or Israelis of Calatrava String Bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem. Today they are the symbols of these countries, modern culture, successes of our society, its achievements.

I am sure that the same will happen to the unique and harmonious project of Svetozar, who successfully named it “The Heart of Malta”. Of course, it must be made of modern corrosion and erosion resistant alloys and composite materials. I as a specialist in this field see the solution. But this should be a separate reflection. Now I know who I will address to if the Rosh Ha-Nikra caves are destroyed.