The valorisation of Malta’s chapel typology within the contemporary urban landscape : a value-based approach to developing a re-use framework

Abstract

The intention behind this research paper is to understand the role for Malta’s chapel typology within the Maltese landscape. The chapels make up a significant part of Malta’s religious and cultural heritage, yet have become undervalued in today’s modern society due to the evolving urban landscape. As a result, the chapels became abandoned and left in a derelict state which made their use obsolete. This issue brought about the reduction of these chapels from the Maltese islands. However, re-use offers the opportunity for these chapels to evolved rather than being left abandoned. For this reason, the research paper aims to develop a value assessment index for the conservation of the religious and cultural values of the chapels by collecting data from various sources though physical site investigations. The findings will then be categorised, quantified numerically and tabulated into a re-use potential index, to calculate the allowable re-use potential for different chapel scenarios. Common typological vales relating to the architectural and historical values, socio-economic values and functional values would then be used to filter the chapels into categories. The value assessment process was used to develop a statement of significance for the chapels as a typology which sum up the central values highlighted within these structures, which were further designed to formulate the basis for proposing a framework for the reuse of chapels. The framework would serve as a practical guideline for carrying out an effective re-use strategy with sensible architectural interventions to safeguard the integrity and authenticity for the Maltese chapels. The conclusions reached show how different contexts should be treated differently due to the decisions formulated from the valuebased approach.