New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Project category

Identify the award category for which this project is being submitted
Regaining a sense of belonging

Email user
alexander.cutajar@gov.mt

Basic information
Project title
Repaving of Annunciation Square

Full Project Title
Repaving of Annunciation Square, Sliema, Malta

Please provide a short, catchy description of your project to be used in communication towards the public.
Annunciation Square, a focal point for the Stella Maris community in Sliema, has been transformed from a busy street flanked by two rows of perpendicular parking lots into a paved square with orderly parking and reduced traffic. Public squares in the cities and villages have long played an important role in the life of our nation, and this square is no exception.

What was the geographical scope of your project?
Local

Where was your project implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Malta

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
Sliema

Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?
Mainly urban

Does your project refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your project benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your project won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Is your project fully completed
Yes

Please indicate a date (mm/yy)
2022-01-28

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As a representative of an organisation
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project)
- Name of the organisation(s): Project Design and Engineering Directorate within the Ministry of Public Works and Planning
  Type of organisation: Other public institution
  First name of representative: Alexander
  Last name of representative: Cutajar
  Gender: Male
  Nationality: Malta
  If relevant, please select your other nationality: Malta
  Function: Senior Architect
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Project House, Level 3, Triq Francesco Buonamici
  Town: Floriana
  Postal code: FRN 1700
  Country: Malta
  Direct Tel: +356 9982 4232
  E-mail: alexander.cutajar@gov.mt
  Website: https://publicworksdepartment.gov.mt
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://publicworksdepartment.gov.mt/en/Pages/default.aspx
  Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://www.facebook.com/publicworksdepartmentmalta/
In case my project is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my project in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites

Description of the project
Please provide a summary of your project.
Annunciation Square, a focal point for the Stella Maris community in Sliema, has been transformed from a busy street flanked by two rows of perpendicular parking lots into a paved square with orderly parking and reduced traffic. Public squares in the cities and villages have long played an important role in the life of our nation, and this square is no exception. A public square such as Annunciation Square has a symbolic dimension for the community members of the Stella Maris area, as it serves as a stage for religious, cultural and social activities. In addition to the paving work, four large planters with olive trees were placed at the four corners of the square and eight new energy-saving street lamps were installed.

During the works, two entrances to a World War II shelter were uncovered. The shelter was surveyed and measured to ensure that it remained safe and intact during and after the works. Since the local council did not want the underground chamber to be open to the public, it was decided to create two covered access shafts.

The repaving of the old "Pjazza Tal-Lunzjata", as it is popularly known, raised the call for a pedestrian zone among many residents, especially in a busy town where there are hardly any public places.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words.
Aesthetics

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Sustainability

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Organistion

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Character

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words
Attachment

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The use of natural stone, such as porphyry and lava rock help in preserving and improving the natural environment. Through green projects like this, the natural stone paving industry will conserve resources, prevent pollution and minimise waste.

The installation of eight LED street lamps will have sustainable impact on our environment because by reducing electricity consumption we reduce our carbon footprint in the process.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The key objective of the project was to transform an asphalted two-way local street into a beautifully paved space with organised on-street parking using an interesting paving design to enhance the people's interest to the place. The project was a success because on its completion, it sparked many residents into calling for the full pedestrianisation of the square even at the cost of losing precious parking spaces.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context.
The project can serve as a model especially for small urban spaces within other towns and villages in Malta. The strength of a good design can make people more aware of the benefits of having human-centred outdoor spaces.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the project and civil society have been involved in the project and what has been the impact of this involvement on the project
When the local residents heard about the proposed project they strongly objected to the idea that the space will be paved as they were afraid that it was a plan to remove all existing parking spaces. They were also against the reorganization of the parking lots because some parking spaces were going to be lost. When the project was completed this attitude changed completely because residents realized that an aesthetically pleasant space can have more benefits for a better quality of life rthan a street flanked by on-street parking spaces.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the project. Please highlight what the added value of their engagement was.
Not applicable

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your project. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was.
Not applicable

Please give information on the results, outcomes and impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for. This includes also benefits from the project for direct and indirect beneficiaries
The transformation of the square enhanced the people's feelings of the place’s character, pride and attachment to the place as they realised that a people-oriented outdoor space offers more benefits than a street, even if it means losing much-needed parking spaces.

Please provide documents showing the results, outcomes and impacts of your project
PDF
PDF
Please highlight the innovative character of the project, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the project
Designers normally do not go for compelling designs in repaving projects especially if the space is shared by vehicular traffic. The innovative character of this project lies in the fact that Annunciation Square was treated as though it was purely pedestrian after the author realized that the space has a symbolic meaning for the local residents.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your project.
The paving design of the square used the herringbone pattern of the parking bays to create a compelling design that added intense visual interest to the square. The choice of the paving materials was also intrinsic in the design process to attain the desired result. The square was paved mainly with contrasting dark grey lava rock and reddish-grey porphyry tiles, but a striking white line made from Pietra di Modica tiles accentuated the pure geometric shapes created by the zigzag pattern and the central row of squares framing the concentric circles made from porphyry cube setts.

Please describe which elements of your project could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and context. This may involve for example aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings etc.
The idea of enhancing small pockets within towns and villages through pleasant paving designs can drastically change people's feelings about the character of a place.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addresses by providing local solutions
Not applicable
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images (or other types of visual representations, if images are not possible) to your application.
If you would like to upload additional documentation, please upload or write below
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By submitting your application you confirm that you are the copyright owner of the images provided and that they can be used by the European Commission for the purposes of promoting the New European Bauhaus on all platforms (websites, print, social media and other).
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that you are not in in one or more of the exclusion situations foreseen under Article 136 of the Financial Regulation.
Yes

By submitting this application, I declare that I am not related to the entities subject to EU restricted measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and subject to Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU)1, and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/05), which are not eligible to participate in any capacity.
Yes

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that you assume sole liability in the event of a claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the contest, that the proposed project has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Prizes in any other category or strand and that it has not been subject to any type of investigation, which could lead to a financial correction because of irregularities or fraud.
Yes

By submitting your application, you guarantee that you are the author or have the rights to proceed with the application and to authorise the use of the project and that you have obtained any necessary consents, licenses or assignments from third parties and included copyright notices when necessary.
Yes

By submitting your application, you understand that all the applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be shared for the purposes of the selection processes, and notably published on the secured platform prizes.new-european-bauhaus.eu and for the purposes of the promotion of these on the New European Bauhaus website and/or other European Commission communication channels. In this sense, the applications would be widely available. Applicants should ensure that they present their projects, in such a way that they could be shared without giving rise to intellectual property related concerns. If your submission is selected as one of the finalists, it will additionally be shared for the purpose of the public vote that will take place. The European Union is granted a licence to use and share your application with the general public and the official external experts for the purposes of the selection process, including the voting. The European Union has the right to use the images and visual materials and the description provided in the application for communication purposes related to the contest and beyond. Rights granted comprise the right to store, reproduce, display, publish and communicate or distribute copies in electronic or digital format, including, but not only, through the internet. Unless you have disclosed your name, the European Commission has no obligation to share your name when using or disseminating your contribution to the public. The European Union cannot be held responsible in case any submitted project, is found to infringe third party’s rights. The European Union shall be neither responsible for the use that third parties may do of the applications or related content.
Yes

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
Yes