In collaboration with Renzo Piano Building Workshop
The City Gate project was a re-organisation of the main gate and buildings at the entrance to the historic fortified port city of Valletta.
It is comprised of the city gate, the new parliament buildings, landscaping, and an open-air theatre built within the ruins of the Royal Opera House.
Strong place making forms define the project. Starting at the bridge, monumental sentry stones flank the gateway framing the view down Republic Street. Steel blades separate the old stonework from the new. Wide stairs flare off the entrance to connect to the upper level of the old ramparts offering panoramic views. New elevators and stairs connect the gate to landscaping in the ditch below.
The new parliament buildings are conceived as two angular floating blocks connected by light bridges. The porous façade is carefully sculpted to minimise solar gain and the roof is covered with 600 sqm of photovoltaic panels to harness energy. The ground floor is programmed for a mix of cultural purposes re-enforcing public engagement and transparency in government.
The cooler lower levels open onto landscaped courtyards that are linked to an abandoned railway tunnel that has been converted from car parking to public spaces. Geo thermal bores driven 140m through the rock beneath the building acts as a heat sink to drastically lower the overall energy load in winter and summer.
The open-air theatre marks the the cultural heart of the city. Conceived as ‘a machine’ the new steel armature sits within the columns of the old opera house. It creates a flexible support system for lighting and the high-tech ERES sound system. Creating a superb outdoor venue for opera, dance, theatre, and music. When not in use it is a public piazza.
Status: Complete