The regeneration proposal of the lost Wied is-Sewda Valley and of the residential town of Qormi
The proposal for the regeneration of Wied is-Sewda Valley aims at bringing life back to a neglected area in the centre of Malta. Over the years, the basin hosting water during the rainy season and preventing from flooding in the area was covered in concrete, converting the green and agricultural area into a neglected grey one. We believe that our masterplan regeneration proposal would help reconnecting the area to the community, finally benefiting from its green valley.
National
Malta
Qormi Local Council.
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
As individual(s) in partnership with organisation(s)
First name: Marika Last name: Spoto Gender: Female Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: AP Valletta is a research-based practice based in Malta. Its vision is to create an Architecture that is a place-maker, a container of meaning, a catalyst for the creation of kinship, a fabricator of myth and a producer of narratives. AP has the undiminished ambition to evoke, in varying ways, a common sense of architecture as a generator of real life, not only the backdrop to events, big or small, historical or routine. Architecture and design, for us, are more than space, setting, context and form. Age: 29 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Italy Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 4 Sapper Street Town: Valletta Postal code: VLT 1320 Country: Malta Direct Tel:+356 2124 3981 E-mail:marika@apvalletta.eu Website:https://www.apvalletta.eu/
First name: Polyanna Last name: Galvao Gender: Female Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: AP Valletta is a research-based practice based in Malta. Its vision is to create an Architecture that is a place-maker, a container of meaning, a catalyst for the creation of kinship, a fabricator of myth and a producer of narratives. AP has the undiminished ambition to evoke, in varying ways, a common sense of architecture as a generator of real life, not only the backdrop to events, big or small, historical or routine. Architecture and design, for us, are more than space, setting, context and form. Age: 30 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Brazil Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 4 Sapper Street Town: Valletta Postal code: VLT 1320 Country: Malta Direct Tel:+356 2124 3981 E-mail:polyanna@apvalletta.eu
First name: Sergio Last name: Sammut Gender: Male Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: AP Valletta is a research-based practice based in Malta. Its vision is to create an Architecture that is a place-maker, a container of meaning, a catalyst for the creation of kinship, a fabricator of myth and a producer of narratives. AP has the undiminished ambition to evoke, in varying ways, a common sense of architecture as a generator of real life, not only the backdrop to events, big or small, historical or routine. Architecture and design, for us, are more than space, setting, context and form. Age: 27 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Malta Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 4 Sapper Street Town: Valletta Postal code: VLT1320 Country: Malta Direct Tel:+356 2124 3981 E-mail:sergio@apvalletta.eu
First name: Elena Last name: Badaja Gender: Female Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: AP Valletta is a research-based practice based in Malta. Its vision is to create an Architecture that is a place-maker, a container of meaning, a catalyst for the creation of kinship, a fabricator of myth and a producer of narratives. AP has the undiminished ambition to evoke, in varying ways, a common sense of architecture as a generator of real life, not only the backdrop to events, big or small, historical or routine. Architecture and design, for us, are more than space, setting, context and form. Age: 24 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Malta Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 4 Sappers Street Town: Valletta Postal code: VLT1320 Country: Malta Direct Tel:+356 2124 3981 E-mail:elena.bajada@apvalletta.eu
The proposal for the regeneration of Wied is-Sewda Valley aims at bringing life back to a neglected area in the centre of Malta. Originally the valley provided for the agricultural production of Qormi, as well as being a direct connection to Valletta, UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowadays, due to a series of interventions both peculiarities of the areas have been lost, transforming one of the greenest areas of Malta into a grey one.
The Masterplan regeneration proposal is developed around 5 key points:
1. Reconnecting the entire valley to the historic centre.
2. Providing for a flood-able landscape and a new urban environment able to cater for floodings.
3. Introducing a productive green corridor, crossing the whole valley and providing for public space and new areas dedicated to urban agriculture and education activities.
4. Creating a new social and economic hub for the community.
5. Forming a green network linking to Valletta.
The proposal envisages the (re)use of organic material and waste from the surrounding agricultural industries, the education of the community and the promotion of local produce and resources as it used to be in the past.
The project shall consist of 3 main phases, which all see the community of the area as an active actor:
- 2023-2025: Qormi's community and local schools start producing compost and growing seed to be used as saplings.
- 2025-2030: the compost produced over the years is applied for faster growth of trees and plants and saplings gets planted once roots reach the required depth.
- 2023-onwards: Tas-Sewda Valley is (re)activated as a green lung through the engagement of its own community.
Finally, the redirection of the existing watercourse and the absorption and reuse of water would reduce the catastrophic consequences caused by the heavy floods as well as creating a system to retain and reuse water, generating positive societal changes and new economic models.
(Re)greening
Adaptive landscape
Sustainable regeneration
Community
Water (re)use
The proposal for the regeneration of Sewda Valley aims at restoring and rewilding the canal crossing the area, bringing the historical water structure of Qormi back and allowing for the natural flow and absorption of rainwater.
The solutions proposed are all based upon climate adaptation and aim at restoring a riparian habitat. Moreover, our design proposal was developed around nature-based intervention with low environmental impact.
The regreening of the canal would improve the air quality of the whole area as well as the thermal performance of the valley.
According to the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment for the Malta River Basin District, published in 2019, over the next 200 years the flood risk consequences are expected to become more and more significant, considering the rise in temperatures caused by climate change.
For this reason, our proposal envisages a flood risk management solution to reduce and possibly prevent catastrophic events to occur which was based upon the flood risk management project envisioned by the governament. This includes:
1. Flush oil/grit interceptors connected to surface stormwater intercepting culverts.
2. Two Underground water channels between of Sewda and Triq Il-Wied.
3. Reconstruction of 3 bridges in the Triq Il-Wied, in order to improve water flow in the channel.
Suffering from years of neglect and abandonment, Qormi has lost the connection with its community and the link with its own history. In the 1940s, the area was renowned for its crafts and local productions: farming and stock breeding increased, and flower milling and bakeries became staple industries of the localities. Today ‘Wied is-Sewda’, along with the town of Qormi, is mainly an industrial and residential area renown as one of the most flood-prone locations across the Maltese archipelago. The cementation process which took place over the 20th Century was proposed as short-term solution to flooding. This, along with uncontrolled urbanisation around the canal crossing the valley and climate change have irrevocably altered the qualities of the area, discouraging any positive intervention to take place.
Our regeneration proposal aims at bringing back to light the intrinsic characteristics of the area to allow for its cultural heritage to be experienced once again from the community. In order for it to happen, we believe that the area should cater for urban agriculture within the public amenities provided, to pass on knowledge throughout generations and allow for the valley to give back to the community once more.
The interventions envisaged by our proposal, including regreening of the area, the pedestrianisation of part of the valley, the insertion of bicycle lanes and new playground areas, the creation of a flood-able landscape would allow for the area to become a social and economic hub for the community, finally reconnected to its intangible yet strong cultural heritage.
The key objectives of our design proposal in terms of inclusion, accessibility and affordability are:
- Walkability: the regeneration proposal focuses on making the area walkable again. Walking routes invites recreational and sporting use and the seasonal canal, filled with water during rainy seasons, would allow for river walks to finally take place.
- Biodiversity and greening: the introduction of flowering trees and other shrubs attracts bees and wildlife, generating more space for flora and fauna. We also envisage the conversion of sealed surfaces to blue-green elements and areas.
- Connectivity: catalysed by corridors as extension to the existing recreative surrounding areas and by connecting the main street with bike lanes.
- Accessibility and affordability: the community garden will be used as a cultivation hub for the people of Qormi where transgenerational knowledge can be shared and new societal and economic models can be developed.
Our regeneration proposal aims at bringing the community together to be the active driver and the medium for the change to take place, improving their sense of belonging and attachment towards the historic and cultural heritage. Aside from benefiting of a new public and green space, the community will also contribute to the harvesting of local produce available in a new local market designed to be a space for communal gathering.
According to the 2021 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the National Statistics Office in Malta, the average age of the population of the valley is 65+. The prevention of floods and the overall positive change brought by the proposal would help attract new people and generations to the area.
Moreover, the implementation of the masterplan proposal would improve the overall mobility around of the area, linking the valley to the historic centre through a new pedestrian path and the insertion of a bike lane that will connect the valley to Valletta.
The design proposal was developed around the key priorities identified by the community in a 2006 survey. People identified flooding and the consequential industrial pollution as main issues holding back the area from flourishing.
This project is also the result of an explorative study, conducted through a series of workshops with the participation of Qormi local council.
We aim this proposal can give back to the community a sense of belonging as well as a hope for future positive interest to be generated.
Our proposal results from an in-depth analysis of reports and studies conducted by biologists, designers, geographers, planners, politicians, investors and economists. Moreover, a direct consultation of the community was carried out during our research phase.
We strongly believe that a transdisciplinary approach is the most efficient one for a long-term holistic development of the area.
Instead of relying on traditional drainage solutions, our regeneration proposal envisages the use of relevant blue-green system. Being a prone to flood area, our research pointed out that conventional pipes cannot manage extreme events.
Moreover, the regeneration proposal is designed to be adaptive and seasonal, allowing for the flooding of the area while catering for the destructive consequences for the environment and the community, and making use of the rainwater rather than leaving it to the sea.
One of the key elements of our proposal is the stormwater strategy, which could be replicated in other areas in Malta with similar roads and flooding issues, such as such as the areas of Misda, Birkirkara, both valleys in the past. As it happened for Wied is-Sewda, the valleys were replaced by new roads with no floor absorption properties.
The stormwater strategy can be described and summarized in the 4 points below:
1. Capturing of the site run-off to be piped to a pre-treatment cistern.
2. Bio-filtration and rain garden filtration treatment of stormwater stored in the cistern.
3. Redirection of treated water into a clean cistern.
4. Storage of clean water and stormwater in the cistern for re-use in the community garden/productive land.
The regeneration proposal of the Wied is-Sewda Valley would address some of the most nefarious consequences caused by the climate crisis our world is facing. One of them being the imminent water crisis that Malta and many other countries have to urgently tackle. Providing for an adaptive landscape which would make use of the flood-ability feature of the area would also allow for rainwater to be saved and utilised. The proposal also targets three of the 2030 sustainable development goals:
15 – Life on land: the sustainable use of water foreseen by the proposal and the provision of the green corridor would all be elements contributing to the correct management of this flood prone area, fighting against land degradation and soil erosion. The green corridor would also promote the regeneration of the valley's species and biodiversity.
12 – Responsible consumption and production: the re-greening of the area would generate new areas devolved to new activities linked to urban agriculture and education purposes.
11 – Sustainable cities and communities: the proposal promotes the participation of the community by providing for public space, community gardens, as well as by catering for educational projects and season sports activities linked to the existing facilities. Moreover, the new market would promote the production and circulation of local produce and talents, contributing the circularity of local economy.
