Inside Malta’s Design Future: Spatial Design Debate Explores Culture, Clutter And Sustainability
As part of the designMT, the first in a series of thematic events took place yesterday at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta, where leading voices in interior and spatial design gathered to explore how the spaces we inhabit reflect who we are and how we live.
The event, Spatial Design – Within These Walls: Exploring Interiors and Contemporary Design, was moderated by Davina Preca (European Council of Interior Architects, former President of MIDA), and tackled evolving trends, cultural identity, and the role of sustainability in shaping Malta’s design future.
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Comfort, Function, and Quality of Life
The panel opened on a personal note, with participants asked to describe their homes in three words. Comfort and function emerged as recurring themes, which panellists agreed form the essence of good design.
Rob Farrugia, President of the Malta Interior Designers Association, emphasised that spatial design is ultimately about improving quality of life, pointing to the shift from compartmentalised layouts to open-plan living. “Objects that become clutter lose their value in our spaces,” he noted.
Listening To Spaces
For Luis Muñoz Jean Baptiste and Dr Jeanette Muñoz Abela of Bureau105, design begins with what they called “story listening.” “It’s about understanding what the client wants to feel in a space,” Luis explained, stressing the importance of involving all contributors from the earliest stages of a project. Jeanette added that solutions should emerge by letting the space speak to the client.
Christian Bezzina (Medina Steels) echoed this point, highlighting how clients’ social media-driven expectations often clash with practical realities. His role, he said, is to guide clients and help them maximise their space with custom creations, warning that “Pinterest trends” can sometimes set unrealistic standards.
Beyond Sight: The Role of Scent
From the audience, Stephen Cordina (Aroma & Therapy Perfume Atelier) drew attention to an often-overlooked dimension: scent. He argued that natural aromas are essential to shaping ambience and mood, and urged designers to integrate this multisensory layer into interior projects more consciously.
Identity vs. Modern Living
The discussion soon turned to Malta’s cultural identity in design. Jeanette Muñoz Abela questioned whether preserving heritage means replicating the past or reinterpreting it for contemporary life, noting that Malta’s spaces increasingly serve international users.
Michela Borg (I+A Design Studio) added that her generation often feels nostalgic for traditions, weaving them into modern spaces with decorative elements, while Stephen Cordina said that same nostalgia appears in requests for scents that evoke the Maltese countryside.
But the debate raised tough questions: should designers refuse projects that strip away cultural identity? Francois Mangion (I+A Design Studio) argued that sometimes it’s better to walk away than compromise a property’s character, while others noted that even modernist buildings from the 1920s now deserve protection.
A Call For Sustainable Mindsets
Sustainability was a recurring theme, with Jeanette stressing the need to consider products “from cradle to cradle” and to evaluate the full supply chain. Audience member Luana Falzon (Shaker) underlined that sustainability starts with local, long-lasting materials, urging a mindset shift towards investing in timeless, eco-conscious pieces.
Yesterday’s debate set the tone for the weeklong designMT programme, highlighting the role of interior design not just in aesthetics, but in shaping how we live, what we value, and how Maltese culture and sustainability can inform the spaces of tomorrow.
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