BORMLA

TOWNHOUSE

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Bormla, Malta — Completed 2023 

 

Set quietly in the narrow weave of Bormla’s historic streets, this renovation breathes new life into a typical Maltese townhouse, its bones worn by time and sea air. Anchored near Dock 1, where the city meets the water, the project unfolds as a dialogue between restoration and reinvention—between what is preserved and what is reimagined.

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At the uppermost level, the home opens skyward. The façade dissolves into a shaded loggia—an elevated Mediterranean threshold that captures sea breeze and light, while shielding its inhabitants from the gaze of the street. From this private perch, views spill out toward the harbours beyond, allowing the city’s maritime rhythm to filter gently into domestic life.

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Inside, the structure has been carefully pared back, its spatial logic rearticulated through light interventions. A bespoke steel mezzanine hovers within the vertical volume—a new private living space suspended like a quiet insertion, both contemporary and respectful of the old stone envelope that holds it.

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The architectural language is one of restraint and reverence. Original materials are preserved where possible, and new additions—steel, timber, colour—are introduced with intention. Bright hues bring moments of joy, subtly offsetting the muted palette of limestone and patinaed plaster. Each gesture, though minimal, is deeply rooted in the building’s character and the slow pace of the Maltese urban landscape.​

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