F***ing Facadism: How One St Julian’s Apartment Ate Up Its 19th Century Predecessor
If Malta’s walls could talk, they would regale us with tales of awful compromises and money-hungry developers. Now, one St Julian’s development is earning stinging criticism online for ripping out the heart of an iconic Spinola building, strangling a neo-gothic facade within its concrete.
One photo shared on @UglyMalta shows the picturesque neo-gothic facade entirely suffocated by a new modern development, dwarfing the similarly built stretch of houses along what used to be a quaint fishing village.
An almost identical property next door will likely suffer a similar fate while facadism in Malta rages on.
The two old houses are among the oldest surviving 19th-century seaside villas in Spinola bay.
The project’s applicant is Clifton Cassar, the business partner of Gozitan mega-developer Joe Portelli. Its architect is Annamaria Attard Montalto. More recently, Cassar was in the news for a controversial mega-project close to the historic Ta’ Mensija Chapel in San Ġwann.
Just three Planning Commission members gave the go-ahead for this controversial project after the PA case officer also gave their approval. They were Elizabeth Ellul, Simon Saliba, and Mariello Spiteri.
Ellul was removed from the Planning Commission and the Planning Board earlier this year following months of controversy.
Ellul, it seems, should not have even voted on the project. Cassar is the applicant of the as-yet-undeveloped Cryptotower in Paceville, which was designed by Ellul’s husband.
What do you think of the development? Comment below
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