Places – Design & Living (October 2019)

PLACES ISSUE 30 OCTOBER 2019

Uplifting a façade AND REINSTATING A LOCAL VILLAGE LANDMARK

CELEBRATING A DECADE OF DÉCOR

10TH ANNIVERSARY DESIGN COLLECTION ‘IN MEMORY OF MY MOTHER’

Design & Living

DARK WONDER? OR NEW NEUTRALS?

WHAT’S IT TO BE THIS SEASON?

IDYLLIC LIVING ON AN ORGANIC FARM THREE ROOMS ON VINCENT’S VAST ESTATE

THE BLUEPRINT

PHOTO: MATTHEW MIRABELLI See story on page 65

PLACES

Design & Living

ISSUE 30 OCTOBER 2019

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THE PROJECT 12 Organically Gloria Eco-living on Vincent’s estate 24 Raising the Bar A facelift on heritage 30 BUILDING A BUSINESS Flourishing in Floriana From abandonment to boutique accommodation 38 LIVING DESIGN A Decade of Design A milestone in Francis Sultana’s works HOME DÉCOR 46 TRENDS New but Still You… The season’s key expressions 53 TIPS Energy Boost or Messed-up Sleep Pattern?

How lighting can damage, disrupt and boost 55 PROJECT PEOPLE Part of the Furniture…

Dino Fino branches off DESTINATION, HERITAGE & ENVIRONMENT 58 CONSERVATION CORNER Depicting Devotion Restoration at the Mosta Rotunda 65 THE GREAT OUTDOORS Daniel’s Blooms Floral arranging from the roots

ON THE COVER PHOTO: SEAN MALLIA See story on page 12

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MY DESIGN

IT’S BEEN an important week in the fight for justice for assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia – which is justice for all, after all. It’s been two years and her brutal murder remains unsolved.

Between book launches and talks, TV programmes [not local, of course], minutes of silence, Mass and a protest march, the entire nation stood up to the horror and shame of living in a country where a woman is killed for doing her job; for knowing too much; for digging up dirt… Or did it?

People from all walks of life, men, women, children and especially the younger generations, university students, thronged the capital’s streets to demonstrate against the incomprehensible apathy of the authorities to find out who killed Daphne… Or did they?

All Malta rose against the fear of living in a Mafia state; against the dread of a lack of freedom of expression that they and future generations are destined to live with; against the collapse of the rule of law; against the alarming rise of corruption; against impunity, aware that all this has a direct impact on their quality of life and their country… Did I say all?

Because in truth, another soulcrushing aspect of Daphne’s murder is the sheer indifference of the Maltese to this disaster; the fact that they have continued with their life,

the more foolish even gloating about how great it is, completely oblivious to the nightmare ramifications of the heinous crime.

Their inability to be incensed, provoked, stirred, nudged, or even slightly bothered by the colossal blow dealt by the assassination of a journalist has been an added insult to grave injury. It has left those unable to surface from the tsunami of her murder – those for whom this last week has been driven by a fire to continue the fight – even more isolated.

So, no, the hall at the Catholic Institute was not bursting at the seams during the talks in Daphne’s honour; and I can safely say from now [I’m writing early in the week] that while the protest march on the second anniversary of her killing will be attended by a number of the same old, same old, and the odd surprising face, we won’t see the ‘entire nation’ there as would be expected in some normal European country.

The majority of the Maltese will, understandably, be too busy with their daily lives, unable to attend because of some errand, or other, their workload, or a kid’s extracurricular activity. They may not have even heard of the protest, or may leave it to others to do the job. Valletta could be too far. Some may be busy burying their heads in the sand; others will visit Daphne’s memorial a bit later – just to clean it out.

Maybe I’ll be pleased to admit I was wrong… But two years of experience have taught me to expect this and stop being dismayed by the size of the crowd; to stop feeling the alienating effect of the reality that hardly any of my friends, who supposedly shared my values, are there.

It was the same at a recent ‘nationwide’ protest against

October 20, 2019 | Issue 30 | PLACES is a bi-monthly magazine | EXECUTIVE EDITOR Fiona Galea Debono | PUBLISHER Allied Newspapers Ltd | PRODUCTION Allied Newspapers Ltd | PRINTING Progress Press Ltd | DESIGN Manuel Schembri | ADVERTISING SALES Veronica Grech Sant [2276 4333; veronica.grechsant@timesofmalta.com]

overdevelopment, Iż-Żejjed Kollu Żejjed, and at another for our trees, which brings the topic closer to home and was actually intended to be the focus of the editorial of a magazine that holds the environment to heart.

They say that in some countries, they drive on the left; in some, on the right; and the Maltese in the shade. Well, the Maltese demonstrate in the shade too. At the march against overdevelopment, which has ruined our lives, protestors didn’t even pack the whole area in front of Renzo Piano’s Parliament – it was a hot day, and those who bothered to brave it squeezed themselves into the shadows of the building… which goes to show how important trees are!

Fortunately, half of Freedom Square was protected from the sun’s rays; otherwise, the crowd would have dispersed even quicker.

At the risk of sounding cynical, these protests for the environment, which certainly touch all the whingers out there, conveyed the opposite message they set out to send. They may as well have asked the construction industry to kindly bulldoze all over Malta. The number of people who stayed away that day was more telling than those who showed up, and it was basically a sign that there really is no opposition and that the destruction can continue unhindered.

But cynicism apart and to paraphrase investigative journalist, John Sweeney, who addressed the not so numerous crowd attending the launch of Murder on the Malta Express last week, it’s far better – and I feel prouder – to be one of the few than on the other side and among those who surely haven’t been sleeping at night… as truth and justice hone in on them, and continue tightening that noose.

This publication is being distributed as part of © 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, without written permission of the publishers, is prohibited.

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PHOTOS: SEAN MALLIA

ORGANICALLY GLORIA From queen of fashion to queen of organic farming, the Red Goddess, Gloria Camilleri, talks about her world of quirky contradictions, from rough-and-ready to “too-muchism”, on her eco estate – and even in the décor of her idyllic country home in Mġarr.

A LILAC wooden gate slides open to reveal a long driveway, and not one, but 10, dogs are darting towards it. It could be daunting, but it isn’t… The woman who runs Vincent’s Eco Estate is an animal lover – and rescuer – so it stands to reason that they would have the run of the house… and that there would be plenty of them.

And anyway, Gloria Camilleri’s presence at the end of the drive is reassuring, and that serene and tranquil vibe that always surrounds her transcends her too. She’s like a glamorous shepherdess, tending to her sheep… dogs.

And fusing her two worlds of fashion and farming into one contradictory and intriguing existence.

So, more than unnerving, the whole experience is picture perfect. It’s almost dusk.

The first rain after a long, hot summer is trying to spit its way through an undecided sky and the farm feeling is idyllic…

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Along the ‘grand’ entrance to her humble home walks Gloria, slowly, in her characteristically calm manner, long black locks resting on a gypsy-like, floor-length, colourful dress. Her serene pace counters and balances out the chaos caused by the dogs and the tour of her rural life starts.

But first things first, of course, and priority is given to her four-legged friends; about three generations of a dog family, with a lot of confusing interrelationships between them too; except for Mr Fenech, the smart and slender Pharaoh Hound, who clearly gets away with being naughty thanks to being so handsome.

The first pit stop is her pet pig, whom she found dumped in a garbage bag and saved.

He’s a “rescue pig” – as are many other animals on the estate, from rescue chickens to rescue rabbits. Their sounds fill the still and slightly fresher air, and it feels like worlds away from dry, dusty and dense Malta.

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And then we take a look at the dogs’ quarters – a recycled job, transformed into a “dog hotel” of sorts, with little wooden rooms next to each other, bursting with old quilts and pillows.

Next, we stumble upon a toilet that has been turned into a plant pot, and then we walk into a terrace that is lined with colourful cushions, immersed in greenery as far as the eye can see…

This is the home of Gloria, the lady of the land, an ecological and fully certified organic farm, producing a variety of fruit, vegetables and gourmet products, in Mġarr.

But in truth, Gloria hails from an altogether different background and was known more for her fashion business in the past. Once the queen of retail, with her iconic Hot Couture label, she has now entered a whole new world, embracing organic farming when she took over the estate from her late father six years ago and decided to continue living there and running it in his absence. In fact, it is called Vincent after him.

Eight years ago, Gloria decided she wanted to live in the countryside that she always loved, but her father thought the family farm was not adequate and liveable for her and her son and offered her an apartment instead. He thought it was scary for her to live there alone, and her friends thought she was crazy too, but Gloria has never felt unsafe.

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HERE I WAS THINKING I HAD ADOPTED AND EMBRACED A CLEAN AND HEALTHY LIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, FAR AWAY FROM MY NATIVE SLIEMA, AND INSTEAD I WAS INHALING THIS! I HAD COME ALL THE WAY HERE ONLY TO FIND THIS POISON AROUND ME “If I hadn’t been living here when my father passed away, I would probably have never gone down this road. I’m glad I insisted on trying it out to see if it would work,” she says.

Named in honour of her dad, whom she was close to, Gloria says she feels him here with her. “I feel his presence, but not in a creepy way. I’m sure he’s very proud of me running the estate. It would have been his dream to be here in this family retreat.”

In a way, the ‘nomad’ simply went back to her roots: her grandmother was from Mġarr, and as a child, Gloria would spend her weekends there. Later in life, she returned gradually, spending weekends with kids and friends on the estate and warming up to the whole move.

Gloria admits: “It was never my wish to have an organic farm.” It just landed on her plate. “I didn’t know a thing about farming!” So, she rolled up her sleeves and got her hands dirty, learning on the job and through the farm manager and those on the field, and asking plenty of questions.

“I did it because of the need to keep the place,” she explains. Now, six years later, Gloria has grown with the farm and its crops and taken on more of a managerial role.

Her entrepreneurial spirit immediately spurred her to take the estate to another level, and today, Vincent’s Eco Farm is no longer just a refuge for the Camilleri family and a hobby, but a producer and seller of organic, healthy, home-made and gourmet products from the O’Veg shop, opened on the estate two years ago.

Gloria’s wake-up call to this new world came when she started noticing the arrival of truckloads of containers, and she questioned what they were.

Horrified to hear they contained pesticides – “obviously” – she vowed to change that!

“Here I was thinking I had adopted and embraced a clean and healthy life in the countryside, far away from my native Sliema, and instead I was inhaling this! I had come all the way here only to find this poison around me.”

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Since then, Gloria has worked tirelessly to learn more about organic farming and employ experts in the field to join her on the journey to where Vincent’s Eco Estate is today.

“At first, they laughed at me, explaining that to shift from conventional to organic farming, I would have had to be ready to lose produce.” But instead, she started evening classes in viniculture, viticulture and organic farming…

“Of course, I could have sat by the pool and invited friends over for tea. It would have cost me less. But I’m a doer!”

Finding people like Paul Debono was a godsend and made her realise the project was meant to be.

He had left Malta for good to work on a coffee plantation in East Timor… but for some reason,

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THE REWARD FOR THE HARD WORK IS BEING IN TOUCH WITH NATURE; IT’S ABOUT PLANTING SOMETHING AND SEEING IT GROW. MY AIM IS TO KEEP UP WITH THE EXPENSES AND PAY THE WAGES. IT’S GROWN ORGANICALLY that did not last, she laughs, describing herself as a “witch” – without the evil.

Gloria admits it’s not easy to make money from a farm. “You wouldn’t do it to become rich. You only do this if you are dedicated and love what you are doing. The reward for the hard work is being in touch with nature; it’s about planting something and seeing it grow. My aim is to keep up with the expenses and pay the wages. It’s grown organically.

“Of course, the environment helps to keep you calm, and in truth, it is more of a hobby than work,” she admits, despite the fact that she is at it non-stop.

Gloria lives and breathes the whole experience, not only working, but also living on the estate.

“When you get involved in organic farming, you start to feel strongly about it. It becomes ingrained in your lifestyle and I feel a sense of responsibility.

People out there are depending on you to provide what they need. I aim to continue improving the property.”

There is no typical day on the estate. Gloria is an early riser. By 5.30am, she’s doing her exercise and planning the rest of her working hours. And in between the running of the estate, she manages to plant pots of succulents, now lining shelves on her terrace.

They are testimony to the green fingers of this Red Goddess – also the name of her food products, including olive oil and syrups, dips and sauces, jams, salts and herbs, preserves and wines, inspired by the red ochre clay found in the red shrine in the Skorba temples up the road.

“One of these succulents has a beautiful white flower that blossoms for only one night every year,” she cuts in with affection. Gloria has always had flowers in the house wherever she was, although on the estate, being totally surrounded by nature, she doesn’t really feel the need.

Although it stretches over 114 tumoli [she has to pause to think], the house Gloria lives in, with her teenage son, is made up of just three rooms. It is probably one of very few homes without a living

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room, and until recently, it had no TV and internet – and the signal is still poor.

“He did have the animals though,” she laughs when talking about her son’s initial adjustments to a technology-free life.

So, what do you do when you relax? It seems to be the obvious question, in light of the lack of a living area. “I’m very busy,” Gloria retorts, putting paid to the notion that a room of the sort is at all necessary.

And once you step into her home, you realise that this is all you need. You realise that the chill-out area is not one defined space, but that it is all around the house and in the rich vegetation surrounding it.

“I don’t need a big house. I had a massive one!

This is better for the dogs… It’s not about status symbols. It’s about doing what pleases you.”

Comparing great spots and sights to Bali has become a standard joke of sorts, indicating a lack of imagination and a narrow vision of the world that is confined to this exotic Far Eastern island. But here, the comparison is called for and spot on. The sound of the rain pelting down on the canopy over the terrace, doing nothing to abate the heat; the sight of the bamboo and thatched roof of a Bali hut through the huge leaves; the almost jungle-like vegetation; the Asian touches and bright colours all bring it to mind.

And indeed, Gloria’s travels – far and wide since she was 15 – and particularly her affinity with the Far East are visible and present all over the house and the estate. It may as well be the monsoon season… and it’s all very Asia… but also India, Africa, Morocco. Gloria buys stuff from everywhere and enjoys putting it together.

“It isn’t about how precious something is; its value, or its price. I just like to pick up things that give me a vibe – a vibe of somewhere else. I bought a pineapple from a guy in the Caribbean. It was my present to me on my 50th birthday. I watched the guy making it and we got talking. He was sweet and I made his day because he sold it and made some money…”

Having said that, beyond the simplicity, there is also a decadent and burlesque touch that is so Gloria too. “I tell my friends that if I had a great body, I would be wearing three stars covering strategic parts of it,” she chuckles, with that naughty glint in her eyes. “At night, these would be sequins of course,” she continues, with a wink.

That’s Gloria for you – distant, but open at the same time; a slight mystery and full of playful contradictions. There she goes, applying gloss on her voluptuous lips in the mirror of her jeep. “It’s dark inside and the light is better out here; plus, this mirror is perfect,” she admits as a matter of fact, adding more quirkiness to the ambience. A larger mirror is also resting against the outside wall of the house – opposite the dog hotel – and for some reason, it doesn’t look out of place at all.

Inside her boudoir-style bedroom, the wall is painted a crimson – or “hot pink” as she refers to it

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– a far cry from the natural tones of the rest of the property. In fact, her fashion past and her strong femininity continue to find their way into her home, and she explains that she wanted a “girly” bedroom.

The en-suite bathroom is a wet room – “that’s all I had space for,” she points out, killing any idea that it was a capricious design element. In fact, it is tiny, but of course, there is still space for her colourful kimonos hanging on hooks.

Above the bedroom is a ‘loft’, or mezzanine, that is now used as her wardrobe, but was the bedroom for a while. Gloria just plonked a mattress on the floor and camped out up there for years.

Back to the contradictions that govern her life, Gloria actually lives a minimal existence to a certain extent on the estate. Her home reflects her bohemian spirit, which is a big part of her, but at the same time, it’s all about “too muchism”, she admits.

“It’s the reason why I don’t have one dog; I have 10!”

And they are everywhere, part of the furniture and fittings, with the privileged Mr Fenech sleeping under her covers and another three in her bedroom too.

“I boil it down to being an overachiever and I can’t really stop,” she says about her self-coined “too muchism” expression before we move on to

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yet another style element in these three tiny rooms that all come together and encapsulate the multi-faceted Gloria.

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It is modern, practical and aesthetically pleasing. “I had been dreaming of it for a while,” she says. “The room had one window and was dark, so it wasn’t used until it was opened up.”

Now, it is practically an extension of the terrace, beyond which is a reservoir-like bio pool – what she refers to as a watering hole – with a makeshift canopy covering it all, and a green laguna-like colour

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that so suits the whole ambience. They find frogs in it, while birds are constantly drinking from it and wasps are buzzing around.

“It’s a bit rough,” she laughs about the strings and poles used to keep the shade up. “Everyone is rough and ready here!”

Gloria’s hobby is fixing up houses, although she says she has never done this professionally… “I like to rescue houses – not just animals. I guess I’m a rescuer.

Her passion for design moved from clothing to homes and she has done up a number: “They are all different, but the common denominator is that I like

to respect the style of the house and not necessarily how I see it…”

Another common thread is the use of rich colours, stemming from her love for decadence.

“You won’t see much of that here [apart from the ‘hot pink’] but definitely in my properties elsewhere…

“Style should always reflect your inner self,” she says. “I won’t go back to fashion, but I still love clothes. Maybe one day, I’ll go back to designing because that was my original love…

“We’re all about projects,” she laughs at herself when discussing what she is up to next, or where

she is heading. Gloria is amused by her own ways.

But yes, you have to admit that a lot is happening between farming, the O Veg shop and the maintenance of the place.

Despite her seemingly idyllic life, Gloria’s restless spirit can see her moving again… though probably it would have to be Gozo and she would have to remain “cut off”. She can already feel the blocks of flats moving in on the estate from neighbouring localities, and points out that the village cores have not been protected when old buildings could have been turned to cafés, museums and boutique hotels – not necessarily just flats.

“I feel strongly about protecting what we have,” she adds.

“Too muchism” could easily be applied to property development, but here, we’re talking about cooking – something she only does for lots of people! It’s a waste of time to cook for two, she maintains. Unsurprisingly, Gloria cooks mostly vegetables and does it all in one day, with a weekly menu of hummus and aubergine dips, banana breads and the daily addition of fresh salads.

“But of course, I totally understand those who go for the ready packed version,” she hastens to add.

“Life is fast and, to be totally honest, I would do the same if I didn’t have this place.

“I’m not a fanatic; not even now. I make do with what I can find. My staff are more fanatical. I’m just practical and I would never go vegan, for example.

I live in this world and I have to get things done.

I can’t spend all day contemplating whether to eat a nut or not! At the same time, I have a delicate digestive system and I can’t eat whatever I feel like, so I am conscious.”

Gloria is doubtless attached to the estate and the project, but she also appreciates change in life: “My mother always says the gypsies came and left me here…”, she recalls, trying to count the amount of times she has moved house and stopping at 10.

“I’ve lived most of my life in Sliema, but I’ve never been a Sliema person. I’m a world person. I’m proud to be Maltese, but I feel I belong to the world and I feel at home anywhere.

“When I moved to the countryside, I had this idealistic idea in my mind. I thought I’d be waking up and picking my fruit, painting and watching sunset. Hopefully, one day, I’ll have time for that.

Romanticism, when running a business, goes out the window!”

Although it would seem like she has a plan, Gloria leaves a lot up to fate. Under her enterprising spirit is a happy-go-lucky girl, who does not think long term. Her life is lived one successful step at a time, and if it has to happen, it will…

For now, for sure, she is satisfied to be able to have all her pets around her; and that is one of the more rewarding aspects of her life on Vincent’s Eco Estate.

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PHOTOS: RAMON PORTELLI

RAISING THE BAR

Studjurban was tasked with the reinstatement of a local village landmark, Coronation Bar, and Perit Antoine Zammit from the architectural and urban design studio outlines the delicate balance required to protect the past and project an old building into the future.

The project involved a sense of responsibility to do it justice, while enhancing its status as an important element of the overall legibility of the locality and its urban core, bringing back to life a derelict and disused bar through a restored and interesting façade – an important starting point to reinstate a sense of pride and provide an uplifting environment.

ON LOCATION, STATE, TREATMENT AND INTERVENTION Coronation Bar is located in the heart of the UCA of Żebbuġ, further down from Misraħ San Filippu and the parish church of Saint Philip. The property consists of a two-storey building, with a terrace at first-floor level and a roof-level terrace at the top. It already existed as a bar before the war.

Its sound construction and previous restoration work meant the necessary treatment mainly involved routine interventions, including a mix of open joint work [fuq il-fil] and a plastered/painted finish.

“We wanted to rationalise this within a more defined logic that simultaneously gave more value to the stone. Given that the existing painting on the window and door surrounds was found to be well adhered, these areas were repainted,” outlines Perit Dr Antoine Zammit from studjurban.

The issue of the main façade was that some of the stonework had been damaged due to cement rendering, which, in time, had detached itself, exposing the stone hacking.

Some areas of the stonework also showed initial signs of alveolar weathering, while other parts had biological growth, or were characterised by black crusting and surface deposits, he explains.

These cement-based finishes, which would have otherwise further damaged the limestone, were also carefully removed, while substantial sections of the existing pointing were limebased and in sound condition and were, therefore, preserved.

Meanwhile, missing and/or cementitious pointing was treated using a hydraulic lime-based mortar.

The balustrades at terrace level were covered on the front by a wooden sign that was in poor condition, with the

property name, Coronation Bar, painted onto it. It was replaced with a new sign that reflected the new branding of the bar, while being more sensitive to the building fabric.

The clients chose its colour scheme after much thought.

The silver aluminium-framed, single-glazed apertures, flush with the external face, and located in front of timberframed, glazed apertures on the internal face, were removed, exposing the existing timber-framed apertures. These, in turn, were restored and repainted, offering a more visually appropriate façade.

A number of redundant cables, wires and other accretions were removed from the façades of the building. All nonhistoric metal fixtures [such as bolts, nails, pipes and cables] that were affixed to the walls and were causing damage to the stonework due to the rusting iron were removed in a way that did not cause further harm to the stones they were embedded in.

ON INJECTING NEW LIFE “We are always excited when given the opportunity to inject new life into an older building, and have built along the years a portfolio of sustainable rehabilitation projects wherein we implement adaptive reuse strategies while trying to exploit their environmental qualities [such as the thermal mass of the fabric, controlled aperture proportions that limit heat gain in summer, and air circulation thanks to internal courtyards and cross-ventilation],” Zammit explains.

“Our envisaged addition, which is a second upcoming phase of the project, solely seeks to consolidate the existing structures present at roof level into a simple volume that is

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finished in stone and does not compete with, or detract from, the legibility of the older structure.

“Even here, we wish to drive the point home that it is still possible to adapt the building to a use it was not originally intended for, without killing the spirit of the original fabric.

“Unfortunately, often, the existing fabric is only seen as a constraint and little effort is made to try and reutilise the existing stock even if it is in good condition. While it is clear that buildings, even in UCAs, need to be adapted to today’s needs and user requirements, we must equally be aware that the cumulative impact of changing each and every building within our cores will, at some point, result in its devaluing.

“It would be really tragic if we got to a point where we question the very nature of the UCA simply due to the fact that it has been shaped into something too far removed from what it was originally,” Zammit points out.

He admits that knowing where to draw the line with a restoration and rehabilitation project of this nature is always the question: “It is a very fine line and it is easy to overdo it, or to try and make too much of a personal statement with it.

ON THE PROJECT PHASES The project was divided into two phases: the restoration and rehabilitation of the existing bar [the latter being an interior redesign, which was not within the studjurban brief; and a small extension [set back significantly from the façade] to rationalise the current separate structures at roof level to be able to create kitchen/service and dining areas for a small restaurant.

“For us, it was logical to start from the façade, although this may not be the normal approach as it is not the moneymaking part of the project; on the contrary, it involves forking out money beforehand,” Zammit says.

“In my mind, though, bringing back to life a building that was disused and had become somewhat derelict over recent years, through a restored and interesting façade, constituted an important starting point to reinstate a sense of pride in it and provide an uplifting environment, further reinforced through an active and animating ground-floor edge.

“Judging from the overwhelming response from locals and visitors alike, I think this has worked and we can now move on to implementing the next project phase,” Zammit continues.

It would be really tragic if we got to a point where we question the very nature of the UCA simply due to the fact that it has been shaped into something too far removed from what it was originally The context always remains the guiding principle – in this case, together with the acknowledgement that this building has provided an important visual cue and point of reference to the locals for decades.”

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CONTEXT In terms of context, an important axial line runs from the parish church to this building, which is also fronted by a wide paved space and an important intersection. The particular configuration of the urban space already contributes to the importance of this local landmark, and studjurban felt the responsibility to do the building justice and enhance its status as an important element of the overall legibility of the locality and its urban core.

“Our village cores are rich in historical fabric and architectural heritage that is also sustainable, and opportunities provided through projects of the sort should help to showcase these principles and increase the acknowledgement of the utility of such a building stock,” Zammit says about whether old buildings are being appreciated and treated with the necessary respect and whether work on this property could help to influence the man in the street positively about their value and importance.

“We acknowledge our dual role here: as practitioners, putting into practice what we believe in and ensuring that we give back to the local community a local landmark they can be proud of; and as enablers, educating residents and visitors alike about these important principles such that our important heritage is not devalued. Equally, this means not only respecting the context within which we operate, but even more so, enriching it.”

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ON COLOURS AND LIGHTING As for the colour scheme, studjurban wanted “a warm Mediterranean aesthetic, but this had to be achieved in a subtle manner, without trying to overdo it”.

Of course, colour is also subjective, so it is always relatively risky, Zammit admits. “We did not want to compete with the globigerina limestone and tried a number of different combination mock-ups before agreeing on the chosen palette. Even then, we were very particular about the type of blue and yellow we wanted to integrate in combination with white in order to complement the stone.

“Thankfully, our clients were open-minded [and bold] enough to be on board with this colour scheme. We have received tremendous positive feedback about the colour over the past months, and it appears that this combination has appealed to many, so we are happy to have taken the plunge and gone ahead with it!”

The bar façade is equally, if not more, appealing by night – as bars should be. In terms of lighting, Zammit believes the trick was not to do much! Three lantern-like external light fixtures were located on the façade and

studjurban worked with these, without trying to reinvent the wheel.

“We did not want to ruin the façade with the insertion of something new, so we repurposed and upgraded the lighting within these three fittings, and I think they have served their purpose well…”

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Beyond the technical component of restoration lies something more critical, and this relates to the soul and spirit of the building. And it may easily be lost if you try to overdo the intervention to forcefully stamp your presence onto it

WORKING ON AN OLD FAÇADE; MAIN CONSIDERATIONS AND COMPLETE NO-NOS

ON ENHANCING URBAN SPACES Asked whether a project of the sort – an intervention on a bar that has stood the test of time and continued to go strong – still manages to inject further new life into it and the village of Żebbuġ, in this case, as a whole, Zammit says he often tells the students following his courses at the University of Malta that “one should not rely on a building to make a good urban space work. A building may be successful, or it could fail, and an urban space cannot be solely dependent on it, otherwise it would also fail as a result of the building’s closure.

“At the same time, of course, an urban space is defined by its edges, and herein lies the contribution of the building, particularly its ground floor. If it is an active edge, what we term in urban design an ‘active frontage’, it animates the space and provides an added value to it, due to the movement of people generated within the interface between the building and the space as well as the safety and security that the presence of people provides to the surroundings [what we term, in urban design, ‘natural surveillance’].

“Even if it is more of a night use, as is the case with this bar, through a distinctive design the building may become a reference point, such as a meeting place for people, providing an important visual cue to the urban environment and giving legibility to the space, as part of a whole network of paths, spaces and landmarks within the locality.

“This, for us, constitutes the additional positive contribution we have tried to achieve with our interventions to Coronation Bar.”

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The starting point is to study well what you have at hand; its assets and weaknesses. The latter may be restored, older incorrect practices may be halted and, where and if possible, reversed, Zammit explains.

However, beyond the technical component of restoration lies something more critical, and this relates to the soul and spirit of the building.

And it may easily be lost if you try to overdo the intervention to forcefully stamp your presence onto it.

“We must always remember that we are intervening upon someone else’s original creation.

The interventions must be clear, sensitive, respectful and, above all, truthful,” Zammit adds.

“People should be able to read the building and its layers of interventions and we should not confuse them as to what is genuinely old and original and what came later.”

This is particularly important when it comes to the cleaning of the accumulated dirt and superficial soiling on the elevations. “We were very careful here so as not to remove the patina or lichen growth thereon and we resisted ‘overcleaning’ into a quasi brand-new façade that, frankly, looks superficial and does not remain truthful to the building’s age and history.

“Unfortunately, I often find this happens with the restoration of some buildings – in this aesthetic-driven society of ours some people [architects included] seem to think that for a restoration to be successful it needs to be ‘shiny’ and look as ‘squeaky clean’ as possible, so the stone is over-intervened upon until the layers of patina – which are actually of course protecting the fabric – are removed. This is completely unacceptable and should be avoided at all costs.”

BUILDING A BUSINESS

FLOURISHING IN FLORIANA This 500-year-old Floriana palazzo went from office space to abandonment before it was turned into the award-winning 23 Boutique by Sean Cassar from Design Hub.

THIS 500-YEAR-OLD, 565square-metre palazzo in Floriana had been used as offices until it was abandoned five years prior to acquisition. Its owners envisaged a boutique hotel, and today, it is among six Design Hub projects that have won the 2019-2020 European Property Awards.

The brief was to create a boutique hotel, with a reception, breakfast and kitchen preparation area, internal office and up to eight bedrooms, including en-suite bathrooms – all the amenities a hotel would require.

A new space allocation usage for eight bedrooms, including bathroom, needed to be tackled, bearing in mind old ceiling features, existing shafts and any other structural limitation that may not have allowed electrical

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and mechanical services to pass and be installed.

At ground-floor level, a choice of wall finishes was proposed, while it was requested that the existing marble floor and staircase would be retained Arriving to the first-floor level through the original grand staircase, a landing leads either up to the next level, or to the sala nobile large room, or to the courtyard balcony overhang.

The courtyard finishes were selected, and balcony access restructured to have adequate turning circle passage and access to the new lift shaft. By refurbishing areas of existing limestone, which form part of the structure, the original, rustic features were enhanced. An off-white paint on

plaster and on cornices created a clean contrast with the limestone Since the building was already used as an office before, a solid partition was splitting up the sala nobile. The clients requested to keep this. And because the height of these rooms extends the six-metre mark, they also wanted to use the height to form part of the usable space within the suite.

Reception To add a splash of colour, also in keeping with the brand identity of the hotel, a pastel green was chosen, and brass was used as an accent colour, while grey and mustard were allocated for soft furnishings.

ADDING MORE ATTENTION TO THE RECEPTION DESK WITHIN THE ENTRANCE LOBBY SPACE GIVES A NEW GUEST A SENSE OF DIRECTION WITHIN THE HOTEL Adding more attention to the reception desk within the entrance lobby space gives a new guest a sense of direction within the hotel, while its position ensures that the courtyard, as well as guests coming in and out of the hotel, are more visible from the reception area.

The Flos light fittings enhance the contemporary concept of the hotel’s interior design direction.

Courtyard A glass and steel skylight allows natural light to wash down as it had always done; the difference in this case is that the courtyard has now become an extension to the internal space, giving access to most bedrooms, the lift and an extension to the general seating.

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BUILDING A BUSINESS

Suite on mezzanine level With the use of a steel structure and plywood as a sub-base for the floor, a new section of the room was created and space maximised in the sala nobile bedroom suite. Mechanical and electrical components are hidden by a false ceiling structure. The wrought-

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iron, hand-made, upper railing was designed especially for this project, also including the Maltese cross.

En-suite bathroom The general material selection and vanity design for the bathrooms were

a continuously changing task.

Attention was given to all accessories and mixers, using a matte black finish, and the final vanity design included a treated timber movable structure, with towel rail and storage included.

Painted steel and brass finishing touches create an aesthetically pleasing contrast.

Façade Attention was given to the creation of a contrast with external plaster and an egg-shell white finish, while selected areas were kept in the original limestone finish. Existing door openings were maximised for different functions, with the door

on the left being accessible by wheelchair and the one on the right leading to the office.

The existing door needed a lot of attention and the client was ready to re-manufacture it, but it was decided to refurbish and paint it by hand, keeping the character of the façade.

Custom brass design light fittings and signage add a boutique, but also functional, touch.

General spaces The first-floor landing includes a mix of materials such as patterned tiles,

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BUILDING A BUSINESS

This suite has a spacious living room desk and storage facility area.

It is a fun example of how to marry the existing ceiling details with a modern contemporary feel. Meanwhile, there is consistency in black detail accessories and a clean finish in the bathroom. The velvet headboard wrap-around contrasts with the custom trio of railings, including a hand-painted wrought-iron section forming part of another vertical rail that is made of solid mild steel rods.

a Bianco Carrara marble staircase, limestone walls in the boutique green, the off-white finishes and a touch of brass.

A fun mix of the traditional limestone ceiling and off-white paint work well with the Flos contemporary

light fitting design, while a cornice pattern on the wall sets a classic tone around the selection of contemporary colours and finishes.

The courtyard bedroom entrances enjoy a soothing mix of colours, textures and tones, and the

IDEAS & MORE THE PERFECT CUT Cutcut offers endless possibilities in carpet creations. Customers can tailor the carpets to their specifications not just in terms of size, but also colour, design and finish. For more information, visit Satariano, Valley Road, Birkirkara, or call on 2149 2149.

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refurbished first-floor walkway includes limestone, timber and the boutique green.

The double-height, steel, fire-rated, custom courtyard door and partition have a uniquely traditional and contemporary effect.

LIVING DESIGN

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A DECADE OF DESIGN

Interior decorator and furniture designer Francis Sultana marks his milestone 10th anniversary with a collection dedicated to his late beloved mother and a new book that chronicles the whole spectrum of his work. Marie-François is a celebration of his design signatures, including his love for natural and highly crafted materials.

And it’s also a nod to the Ambassador for Culture’s Mediterranean heritage.

NEXT MONTH is a major celebration for Francis Sultana: one of the UK’s most prominent interior and furniture designers, he is celebrating his 10th anniversary with a major furniture collection and an exhibition of his work at David Gill Gallery, as well as the worldwide publication of his book, Francis Sultana: Design & Interiors.

“My career to date has been a combination of skill, tenacity and a lot of hard work. It’s very easy to miss these moments when you are so busy, but I am glad we decided to mark 10 years with the book and a new collection, named in memory of my mother.

It’s been a wonderful journey and I cannot wait to see what the next decade has in store,” Sultana says.

Meanwhile, he has created a special collection of furniture to celebrate this landmark moment.

Named Marie-François, after his late and beloved mother, the collection is a celebration of his design signatures, including his love of natural and highly crafted materials such as cast bronze and carved wood, and his references to Art Deco in materials such as marble and silhouettes that juxtapose curves and angles.

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LIVING DESIGN

THE MARIE-FRANÇOIS COLLECTION IS A REFLECTION OF THE CAREER OF ONE OF LONDON’S MAJOR DESIGNERS, WHO CONTINUES TO FLY THE BRITISH AND MALTESE FLAGS AROUND THE WORLD, CREATING STUNNING HOMES AND COLLECTABLE FURNITURE

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There is a sense of Mediterranean classicism throughout the collection, with a palette in blues and greens, and in its decorative finishes.

Exciting new decorative applications include fluorite stone, Rosso Levanto marble and Palladium gilding.

The Marie-François collection is a reflection of the career of one of London’s major designers, who continues to fly the British and Maltese flags around the world, creating stunning homes and collectable furniture.

Considered one of the most important designers in the UK, Sultana’s clients include major art and design collectors, who have been drawn to his flair in both shape and decoration, and his unique ability to merge the residential requirements of a domestic space with often large-scale visual art, sculpture and installation pieces.

A series of major furniture pieces sit at the heart of the collection that Sultana originally designed for his newly decorated apartment at Albany, the prestigious Sir William Chambers building on Piccadilly that has been home to the likes of Lord Byron and one of his inspirations, the renowned decorator David Hicks.

Both his new apartment [the former home of socialite and writer Fleur Cowles] and his former apartment in the same building feature heavily within the new book. And the anniversary collection comprises a desk, sofa, side table, coffee table, banquette and stool that were all originally designed for the new apartment, with all the pieces named after the building.

Palm wood and palm trees have always been an inspiration for Sultana, who has been Malta’s Ambassador for Culture since 2017 and is deeply influenced by Maltese heritage.

In fact, a stool, lounge chair, day bed, console, floor and table lamp all feature palm motifs and forms.

Other motifs and decorative finishes that nod to the designer’s Mediterranean heritage include the classical use of trompe l’oeil faux marble finishes in aquatic colours of blue and pastel green. Gilded wood, lotus leaves and marble offer a series of baroque flourishes rooted in one of Sultana’s favourite buildings, St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.

The colour red is also one of his favourites: the red of Malta’s cross; the red of Caravaggio’s brushwork; the reds used in the Art Deco work of Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and Jean Michel Frank.

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About the book

In fact, the Marie-François collection also features red in the leather work of his new valet design – another piece originally created for his collection of bespoke Anderson & Sheppard suits – and red leather also appears in the bespoke hand-woven tweed of one of the armchairs.

As with all Sultana collections, detailed and immaculate crafts skills have been employed throughout, adding a sense of timeless elegance.

Supporting artisanal crafts throughout Europe and the UK is something close to his heart and an essential element for any of his collections: cast bronze work, carved wood detailing, decorative finishing such as trompe l’oeil and hand-woven fabrics are at the core of his work.

The Francis Sultana 10th Anniversary Collection, Marie-François, will be on show at David Gill Gallery from November 7 to 23.

Francis Sultana: Design & Interiors is being published worldwide

by Vendome Press.

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The complete spectrum of Francis Sultana’s work – from his professional beginnings to his signature furniture collections, plus the array of sumptuous domestic spaces he has masterminded for tastemakers and business titans in landmark buildings around the world – is chronicled in this book by journalists who are recognised as design authorities.

Edited by the author and design expert, Bronwyn Cosgrave, with a foreword by his friend, Yana Peel, CEO of the Serpentine Galleries, contributors include British Vogue’s style editor Gianluca Longo and The Art Newspaper contributor Brook Mason. Interiors and portraits have been captured by the finest interior design photographers, including Simon Upton and James McDonald.

To be launched at events in London and New York, the book celebrates the anniversary of his eponymous London studio through an examination of Sultana’s work – both his sumptuous interiors and his elegant and highly collectable furniture collections.

It also highlights an important professional achievement: since 2015, Sultana has ranked consecutively on the AD100. This exclusive annual list, published by the US edition of Architectural Digest, features 100 of the world’s best architects and designers.

Sultana’s palatial home at Albany, the Piccadilly landmark known to be London’s first apartment complex, and also his 16th-century palazzo in Malta – the country where he grew up and for which he now serves as an Ambassador for Culture – have also appeared on the covers of the world’s leading interior design magazines.

TRENDS

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NEW BUT STILL YOU...

Dark Wonder? Or New Neutrals? Emma Mercieca Cristiano from BoConcept Malta explores what drives the creation of new trends and highlights this season’s key expressions to help achieve a coherent space.

IMAGINE THE feeling of a home designed to fit your lifestyle and reflect your personality.

The benefits are clear. When you combine a pleasing colour scheme; free-flowing and functional space; perfect mood lighting and clever storage, you get pleasurable home experiences and a happier life.

In the world of interiors, new seasons mean new designs, new fabrics and the latest trend colours.

Reviving tired rooms gives us the feeling of a fresh start, but when seeking inspiration, it is important to keep in mind that your space should remain your own, and with some tailored guidance, you can really make it happen.

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TRENDS

Trend drivers TECH OVERLOAD Nowadays, our love-hate relationship with technology could very possibly leave us with underlying feelings of chaos and a sense of the world moving too quickly. To get respite from the synthetic, we find comfort in nostalgia, and trends have shifted to natural materials, including oak, marble, stone and terracotta in lightly treated finishes. They remind us of

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nature, handmade craftsmanship, and include imperfections no algorithm can predict. The satisfying sight of a design’s construction details, before hidden away, connect us to how the product was made.

SELF-CARE Some might argue that self-care has become a necessity and not merely a trend, and this pampering extends into the home, creating a demand

for soft plump forms and cocooning designs – furniture that overtly expresses visual comfort. That need for sensorial home experiences fuels a longing for plush fabrics and sumptuous velvets, set off by frosted, clear, mirrored and coloured glass seen in a myriad of lighting and accessories.

New trend expressions NEW NEUTRALS It’s about a light and calming aesthetic that is undeniably Scandinavian; a fresh minimalism inspired by a yearning for the basic and nostalgic. Tones of pale woods, ceramic, concrete and white marble join a delicate palette of neutral hues, blues and greys. Minimal treatments give natural textures and patterning the freedom to surface – a tactile quality complemented by heavy textiles and plush fabrics. Nature-inspired prints and accessories in natural materials help to bring the outside in.

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TRENDS

DARK WONDER Dark, dramatic and sophisticated – the sensorial quality of this expression is undeniable, giving homes an air of indulgence. Above a base palette of soft blacks rise deliciously sensual hues in muted tones such as rose, or luscious purple in cotton velvet. Dark leathers, suedes and velvets sit beside black oak and marble, while brass, steel and glossy surfaces add surprising accents.

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New fabrics and textures Velvet continues to ďŹ nd a place in the hearts of customers around the world. It has moved from a trend to a style essential, and the latest version comes in a sumptuous cotton variety in a variety of shades, as opposed to polyester. This cotton velvet is more sophisticated with a subtler yet elegant sheen, a softer drape and hand feel.

Driven by a more subtle take on the trend for structured and textured fabrics, such as corduroy, comes the introduction of a chenille fabric, woven using viscose and cotton chenille yarns in a plain weave. The mix produces an enticing sheen with a light and dark melange effect. The fabric has a satisfyingly soft feel and gives designs a contemporary expression.

Those seeking highly tactile structures woven with statement character would be pleased to learn about the new fabric with a cotton-wool blend, with the appearance of a bouclĂŠ fabric, characterised by a heavy look and uneven structure.

The new BoConcept 2019/20 collection of furniture, lamps, rugs and accessories can be found at the BoConcept showroom, Triq tal-Balal, San Gwann, and on www.boconcept.com.mt

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TIPS

ENERGY BOOST OR MESSED-UP SLEEP PATTERN? Lighting affects the mood, can cause eye damage, disrupt sleep, or boost our alertness, depending on the type of intensity and time of day… Petra Cutajar from Light Design Solutions sheds a guiding light on how to bring out only the benefits and why to adjust the brightness.

WE ARE all aware that poor lighting can cause eye strain and damage, especially when reading. But it also has other negative effects on us.

Insufficient lighting has been found to contribute to depression and vitamin D deficiencies. Proper lighting, on the other hand, improves mood and energy levels. Lighting can also affect appetite, and studies have shown that people eat slower and lighter meals in rooms with bright light, while they overeat in spaces that are dim.

Lighting is known to affect our circadian rhythms. It can contribute to alertness in the mornings and can either make you feel tired or keep you up at night. This is why brighter lights are best for mornings and daytime, while dim lights are good in the evenings. The reversal of these can cause a confused circadian rhythm and will mess up sleep schedules or make it difficult to find energy throughout the day.

Blue light can make us feel more energetic during the day, giving a much-needed boost and making us more alert, but at night, it can

also make it harder for us to sleep.

Exposure to blue light from smartphones and laptops in the hours before bedtime prevents our bodies from producing the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, which makes it harder for us to drift off the sleep.

to create a happy and productive work environment. Poor lighting can actually determine the productivity at work.

Working in dim or incorrect lighting environments causes the eyes to strain, resulting in headaches or migraines. Insufficient lighting in workspaces may also cause drowsiness and difficulty in maintaining focus and motivation, while excessive lighting can also trigger headaches and migraines, so employees working in these conditions are found to be less satisfied with their jobs.

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT PEOPLE EAT SLOWER AND LIGHTER MEALS IN ROOMS WITH BRIGHT LIGHT, WHILE THEY OVEREAT IN SPACES THAT ARE DIM While cool light makes us more alert, warm artificial light has the opposite effect and can actually help us to relax.

The glow from an open fire or candle is around 2000K and replicating this lighting temperature can encourage calmness. This makes red, amber or yellow lighting at a temperature of around 3000K ideal for recreational and residential settings. Warm lighting can also provide a healthy counterbalance to our daily blue light exposure.

When it comes to offices, much research has been carried out on what type of lighting to use in order

The best solution in the home is natural lighting, but when it’s not an option, the ideal would be to have high-quality flexible lighting.

If your home does not have any ceiling lights, or little control over their placement or brightness, you can use a variety of light fixtures like floor lamps, table lamps and wall lights.

For instance, a bedroom should be calm and peaceful overall, so an adjustable floor is a good source of light, and a reading light next to the bed, which you can control while you lie down, can be cosy.

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PROJECT PEOPLE

PART OF THE FURNITURE...

PHOTOS: CHRIS SANT FOURNIER

Branching out on your own and starting again is never easy, but Dino Fino has embraced it and thrived. Sitting in his recently inaugurated showroom in Valley Road, Birkirkara, he speaks to Anna Marie Galea about how he has evolved since breaking away from the family company in 2017, and his amazing, innovative plans for the future.

“I REMEMBER the exact date I decided to branch out,” Dino Fino starts. “I even remember exactly how I was feeling on March 11, 2017. As you can imagine, I wasn’t 100 per cent sure of anything, least of all about whether or not I wanted to stay in the furniture industry.”

Then again, he had been in the business for so long that he already had a lot of connections. So, in 2017, he opened his first showroom in Ħamrun.

“Within a few months, we had expanded to five floors, three of which housed kitchens and kitchenware.

The fourth floor was where the office furniture resided, and the administrative part of the company, or head office, was on the fifth floor.

“Soon, I was looking for a second showroom and, well, now we’re both sitting in it!”

Within just a few minutes of being in Dino’s company, it is evident how much he loves furniture and has a deep

understanding of it: “You could say that I was born into this world. When I was a very small boy, we used to visit the furniture fairs in Italy. I have a great love for design, and, for me, there is no greater satisfaction than furnishing homes. In fact, I greatly look forward to the yearly appointment I have in Milan for the Salone del Mobile fair held there. It’s amazing because you get a glimpse of whatever is going to be launched and all the upcoming styles.”

While Dino believes that different minds will always come back with dissimilar feedback when it comes to picking out furniture, something he refuses to compromise on is quality: “All my suppliers are Italian and all the pieces you can see here are made in Italy.

On the ground floor, you will find the crème de la crème of furniture and design; however, on our second floor, you can also find quality items with a lower price tag.

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PROJECT PEOPLE

OUR IN-HOUSE CHEF WILL BE ABLE TO COOK FOR US RIGHT HERE IN THE SHOWROOM, AND OVER DINNER, WE CAN DISCUSS THEIR PLANS FOR THEIR HOME AND WHAT THEIR VISION FOR THEIR SPACE IS “Something that is of concern to people who love quality is the number of shops in Malta that are selling low-quality furniture, which won’t stand the test of time.

There is a lot of this laminated wood furniture going around, and within a few years, it starts to fall apart, with handles and hinges just coming off in people’s hands.

“Furnishing your house should be seen as an investment. That said, the average Maltese person is becoming more and more conscious about design and it’s not uncommon for people to come to the showroom with their interior designer. That seems to be future.”

Ever striving to be ahead of the curve, plans are not only in place to cater for an evolving Maltese market, but Dino also has a couple of things up his sleeve that he is sure will be met with a positive response: “We are going to be turning part of the showroom into a coffee shop, where people can either come to work, or bring their clients here for meetings if they don’t yet have their own office space. Not only will they be able to set up everything they need, but they will also get a kind of membership card to be able to get discounts on beverages for themselves and their clients.

“Over here, we also have a fully functioning kitchen, and in the next few months, I would like to invite different clients over for dinner once a week. Our

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in-house chef will be able to cook for us right here in the showroom, and over dinner, we can discuss their plans for their home and what their vision for their space is. I came up with this idea because I want to create a relaxed environment for our clients and a lovely, personalised experience. They will also be at liberty to look around the showroom at their own pace,” Dino continues.

By the end of the year, an online shop will also be up and running and clients would be able to find items that are not in the showroom there, he adds about plans in the pipeline.

Asked about what’s trending at the moment in the furniture and design world, Dino states that classical furniture is dying out: “When I go to the Milan Furniture Fair, I’m struck by how the number of classical furniture stands has shrunk!”

Something he doesn’t like in Maltese houses is over-designed ceilings because it makes them look a lot lower than they actually are; and he’s also not a fan of places being overlit and having lots of lights everywhere.

“Here at Dino Fino Home, we do offer our clients a design service should they require it because for us nothing is more important than giving people the opportunity to turn a house into a beautiful home.”

CONSERVATION CORNER

Damage detail

DEPICTING DEVOTION In the second of a three-part series, conservator Roderick Abela from ReCoop focuses on the restoration of another three oil-on-canvas paintings from the 14 found at the Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady in Mosta, unveiling a number of discoveries along the way.

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THE PAINTINGS dedicated to Our Lady of the Girdle, St Sebastian, St Roque and St Rosalia, The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria and The Annunciation, which are being restored in a project that is partly ďŹ nanced through the European Regional Development Fund [ERDF], are by renowned Maltese baroque artist, Stefano Erardi, although The Annunciation is, as yet, just attributed to the 17th-century artist.

Our Lady of the Girdle, also referred to as Our Lady of Consolation, and St Sebastian, St Roque and St Rosalia are both altar paintings within the side chapels adorning the Mosta Rotunda.

Our Lady of the Girdle

However, it is evident that these were not intended to be placed in their present location as both show extensive enlargement, height wise, in order to fit in the niches of the ‘new’ church.

Meanwhile, The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria and The

Annunciation are wall-hung paintings inside the sacristy.

The Our Lady of the Girdle painting measures 318cm x 182cm. Originally, it had an arched top and its dimensions were 226cm x 128cm. It was enlarged during a previous intervention and the

alteration blended with the depiction of a decorative arch with red drapery, an angel in relief at the top corners and the addition of a column filling the right-side gap as well as a carpet at the bottom.

A coat of arms belonging to Bishop Lucas Buenos, bishop of Malta from December 1666 to October 1668, is present in the bottom centre of the original part of the painting, indicating that the work was done in this period and that Erardi would have been around 38 years old.

The artist divided the scene in two segments horizontally by means of clouds and eight cherubs. On the upper part is the Holy Family with St Anne and Saint Joachim, and in the lower are four Saints of the Augustinian order.

Examination under ultraviolet light exposed much retouching, including on the figures of the Virgin and Child and St Anne. These were probably covering holes corresponding to metal insertions belonging to embellishments like crowns and halos. Numerous small overpaintings were covering flyspecks, situated in between several layers of old oxidised varnish.

As expected, some wax drippings were also present – the remnants of devotional candles, positioned in proximity to the painting. The paint layer was in a reasonably good state of preservation, and although having several cracks, mainly due to ageing, the adhesion was relatively good.

The painting had been lined in a past intervention with what seemed to be an organic glue known as colla pasta, and the lining consisted of a thickly woven jute canvas, which was still in a good condition, so it was decided to retain it.

All was attached to an auxiliary support, consisting of a wooden stretcher with one horizontal crossbar.

Every process was carefully documented; and several tests were carried out to find suitable solvents that could be used to remove unwanted additions slowly and safely, while keeping the extensions. New gesso was applied where necessary and levelled and textured to match the surrounding layer. Losses were retouched with reversible varnish-based pigments, and an ultraviolet absorbent varnish was applied to saturate and protect the surface of the painting.

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CONSERVATION CORNER

THE CHOICE OF THESE THREE SAINTS INDICATES A DIRECT DEVOTIONAL RELATION WITH THE PLAGUE, MOST LIKELY A COMMISSION MOTIVATED BY THE OUTBREAK OF 1676 The paintings of St Sebastian, St Roque and St Rosalia, The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria and The Annunciation underwent similar treatments, having all been previously restored, with several overpainting present.

Besides appearing dull due to several layers of aged varnish, the three paintings had much visible overpainting, which had altered the colour tonality. Both St Sebastian, St Roque and St Rosalia and The Annunciation needed to be consolidated before any intervention.

The latter was so fragile that the paint layer had to be secured with Japanese paper on site, before transporting it.

The Annunciation had an old infested lining attached to the back, while the painting of St Sebastian, St Roque and St Rosalia had several patches there too. It had been enlarged considerably: from approximately 253cm x 185cm to 320cm x 185cm.

The choice of these three saints indicates a direct devotional relation with the plague, most likely a commission motivated by the outbreak of 1676.

Erardi inscribed his name on the lower left side, writing: ‘STFANVS HERART. PINGEBAT. 1677.’ He would have been 47 years old at this time.

The commissioners or donors are inscribed at the bottom, together with a coat of arms underneath St Rosalia.

New and old gesso areas

St Sebastian, St Roque and St Rosalia before restoration

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The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria

The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria is considerably smaller in size compared to the other two, measuring 219cm x 161cm. It still had the original wooden strainer which, unfortunately, was badly infested.

Although attempts were made to salvage it, in the end, it was deemed more beneficial for the painting to replace it as it would not have been fulfilling its duty in keeping it in good tensile strength.

Erardi depicted the vision of St Catherine carrying a martyr’s palm in

her left hand and a wheel symbolising her torture. She is kneeling before The Virgin, holding the Christ Child, who is putting a ring on St Catherine’s right hand, symbolising the mystical marriage. Cherubs and angels are present, witnessing the moment.

The whole scene is happening in what seems to be a fictitious landscape, with trees and an arch on the right side of the painting.

An inscription is present at the bottom left side, and seems to be a later addition, noting that the painting

was given as a gift. It reads: ‘GAETANA SPITERI AGIUS, DONO DEDIT 1860’.

The Annunciation measures 237cm x 137cm and was the most enigmatic and problematic of them all because there was no certainty about the artist.

Due to the vast retouching and its poor state of conservation, it was very difficult to decipher its details.

The painting was problematic due to its poor condition: the paint layer was very fragile, and it was evident it had been damaged due to water infiltration and severe insect infestation.

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CONSERVATION CORNER

ABOUT THE RESTORATION

The Annunciation

THE ANNUNCIATION PAINTING WAS THE MOST PAINSTAKING PROCESS, HAVING TRACES OF THREE INTERVENTIONS. WITH THE EXPOSURE OF THE ORIGINAL COLOURS, THE PAINTINGS GAINED IMMENSELY IN DEPTH AND IN COLOUR

The removal of old lining

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The painting describes the moment the Angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. The Virgin is seen kneeling on the left in a prayer posture and Angel Gabriel is depicted on the right, pointing upwards to the Holy Spirit. The figures were very similar to Erardi’s, although the Angel Gabriel was too heavily overpainted and looked stiff. In fact, the biggest surprise of the project was when, after extensive research and work, the intended position of the legs of Gabriel was deciphered.

The three paintings were dismantled from their respective auxiliary wooden support and cleaned from any patches, old linings and dust accumulation present at the back.

The paint layer was consolidated, and inlays were neatly placed in areas of canvas loss. Any tears present were joined and mended by linen threads and weak seams were reinforced by a thin synthetic canvas.

Strips of linen canvas were subsequently added to the painting of The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine of Alexandria, along its perimeter, attached at the back, to be able to stretch it to the auxiliary support.

St Sebastian, St Roque and St Rosalia and The Annunciation underwent a cold lining intervention, where a pre-prepared linen canvas with an adhesive was placed in contact with the back of the paintings.

A specific solvent was applied, and all was closed within a vacuum chamber for a few minutes. Thanks to this method, the original canvases were reinforced by the adhesion of a new canvas support.

Their old wooden auxiliary supports were beyond repair, so new custom-made wooden stretchers, with expandable stainless-steel joints, were constructed.

After the re-stretching treatment, the painstaking cleaning process commenced, with the removal of the thick varnish layers and all the overpaintings present.

Needless to say, The Annunciation painting was the most painstaking process, having traces of three interventions. With the exposure of the original colours, the paintings gained immensely in depth and in colour.

At this stage, what was left of Angel Gabriel’s legs could finally be exposed thanks to the remaining traces within the painting and to the engraving and painting discovered.

All the losses were infilled with gesso and textured like the surrounding surface. These were subsequently retouched with reversible materials and varnished, saturating and protecting the whole surface of the painting.

ABOUT THE ARTIST Stefano Erardi [1630-1716] was one of Malta’s leading artists of the 17th century, a classicist, greatly influenced by the Italian works – and Bolognese in particular – at the time. In fact, many figures within his paintings are copies of old masters, such as Annibale Carracci [1560-1609].

His major antagonist and contemporary was Mattia Preti [1613-1699], who was highly celebrated by the Knights of the Order of St John.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

PHOTOS: MATTHEW MIRABELLI

DANIEL’S BLOOMS

Anna Marie Galea meets Daniel Grech, the young man behind the floral arrangements at Pink magazine’s first tea garden. She finds he can’t even remember the time when he wasn’t running around with a flower in his hand.

IT’S LITTLE wonder that flowers have been international symbols for love, appreciation and mourning for hundreds upon hundreds of years. Not only do they smell amazing, but in the right hands, they can be turned into works of art: live installations of beauty.

One such sumptuous installation was witnessed by all the guests at a Pink magazine event last April, The Pink Tea Garden; and the young man behind it was Daniel Grech from Mqabba.

If you ask young children what they want to be when they grow up, chances are many would say they want to be like their parents, or another person close to them. Daniel was one of those children who can’t even remember a time when he wasn’t running around with

a flower in his hands: “I started very young; I was so young that I can’t even say how old I was when the fascination began. I used to see my mum putting together arrangements and I would want to help her.

“At first, she would give me flowers that she wasn’t able to use in her own arrangements because they were damaged in one way or another, and I would try to think of creative ways to put them together. Once she saw how interested I was, she started giving me small batches of unspoilt flowers so that I could create my own pieces.

“That said, I think the real turning point came when there was a wedding and the flowers in the church were all left behind to die… I collected them and attempted to make something new.”

OCTOBER 2019 PLACES

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS

IT’S NOT JUST THE ARRANGEMENT YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, BUT THE AREA AROUND IT Realising how much potential her son had, Daniel’s mother sent him on a seven-month course where he learnt everything there is to know about the art of flower arranging. Watching her flitting about the kitchen as we speak, trying to make everyone comfortable, her love for her son and her pride in him are evident.

It is from her and his father that Daniel learnt the art of patience and being prepared: “For me, every arrangement is a process; life itself is a process. Don’t we have to wait for seeds to become plants? It is important to respect nature and its process of growth. Without nature we are nothing.

“When the date of an event I have been asked to create arrangements for is confirmed, I start by doing some rough sketches. I always like to keep in mind what materials and colours I would need and what style to adopt. When I had to do something on a large scale, like Pink’s first tea garden, and I needed metalwork, my dad helped me too.

“It’s also important for me to go on site and check the space I have to work with. I like to finish everything a day before the event, so that if the client doesn’t like what I’ve done, or something needs to be changed, I can do something about it. I’m very lucky that I have such a supportive partner and family: they help me with each and every project I have.”

Although flowers do take up a lot of his time, Daniel still works another job and plans to do so until his dream of owning a shop is realised: “I know that I am very

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young, but my dream is to have my very own space where I can cater for weddings, parties and anniversaries. That said, my ultimate goal is to cater for big state events. It would also be amazing to be able to go abroad and work on international events. At the moment, I feel really happy about the fact that I’m being asked to do more and more things.”

Daniel’s advice to people who haven’t had their first big break yet is very simple and to the point: “This is not something that you can just do. You must be willing and open to learn because there is always room for growth.

“Of course, being artistic helps because sketches are important in order to be able to convey a message.

Whether you draw still lifes or landscapes or a plain bowl, it’s important to always strive to do better. The more you draw, the more perspective you gain and the more you will be conscious of elements such as composition and display.

“It’s not just the arrangement you have to keep in mind, but the area around it,” Daniel insists.

“And finally, you need a good support system. My partner, Chris, is always helping me, and my parents are always around to give me a helping hand, or some words of advice. I have so much appreciation for the people who have believed in me enough to trust me with their ideas and dreams, and that gratitude has served to motivate me and help me to dream bigger.”

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