Designs For New Paceville Tower Unveiled, Including Large Public Plaza
Designs for a 33-storey tower were unveiled this morning which, if approved, would add another striking element to Paceville’s changing skyline.
The tower was designed by a partnership between top Rotterdam-based firm 7478 and prominent Maltese architect Christian Spiteri.
It features notable circular windows overlooking its terraces.
The designers said the building was designed to taper upwards to reduce shadowing and “completely does away with ornament and traditional double-skin cladding to present a strong, slim, sleek, and powerful silhouette”.
The mixed-use tower will occupy one-third of its site area, according to plans submitted to the Planning Authority on behalf of PX Lettings, owned by Paul Xuereb.
The footprint of the multimillion project on privately-owned land takes up 1,100sqm of the available 3,400sqm. It includes a large plaza, which will allow the public to connect from Triq Santu Wistin to Triq Elija Zammit.
An artist impression of the Paceville skyline on the left and a bird's eye view design of the plaza on the right.
Architect Alessandro De Santis said: “The easier solution would have been for the owners to opt for a horizontally dense conventional development. But instead, they have gone for the most sustainable approach. A high rise, in this specific site of the heavily urbanised location of Paceville, is the best way to preserve and improve public areas, liberating more land to create open space available to all.”
The tower will include serviced apartments on its upper floors, a business centre in the lower part of the building, and ancillary retail and restaurant spaces to complement the public plaza. Parking facilities will also be provided to cater for the development.
“This is an exciting moment because after much discussion and a long design process we are now submitting the plans for a project we believe is a smart and sensitive answer to the contemporary challenges of Paceville’s development,” Xuereb said in a press statement.
“Inspired by the simplicity and stateliness of Malta’s Renaissance architecture, this striking mono-material building is the result of a search for architectural purity and the elimination of all that is not essential. Incorporating innovative environment-friendly features, it strives to create a sense of identity,” the press statement added.
The owners, who have abided by the principles set out in the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) policy, believe that a high rise in such a dense area is a better choice than engulfing the site with a characterless, conventional block that would occupy the whole site area and leave no public open space.
The building shall tap into the latest technological advancements to ensure environmental sustainability and seeks to achieve the globally recognised LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
PX Lettings owns the majority of the Hardrocks Business Park in Naxxar, a purpose-built multi-tenant industrial park comprising a modern business centre, warehousing and car parking facilities. PX has also been involved in a number of other projects including Malta’s largest private photovoltaic farm in Mġarr as well as the Bramble Garlands, Ocean Heights and Orange Grove residential developments.
What do you make of the changing Paceville skyline?
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