The provision of open spaces within the urban areas of the Maltese islands

Abstract

It is vital for town dwellers to be able to recreate themselves in open areas close to where they live. The provision of open spaces is of primary importance in terms of good urban design principles. Over the span of the last few decades, the Maltese lslands have experienced a significant transition from a predominantly agrarian society to an urbanised community. The construction boom increased Malta's urban area from 4 per cent of the total land area in 1956 to 23 per cent in 2005 (National Statistics Office, 2006). This is exacerbated by a high population density, the ever-increasing demand for the use of land, and the wish to protect the remaining rural areas from urban development. This resulted in the lack of open spaces within urban areas, as well as the loss of existing open spaces. This state of affairs by no means implies that people can enjoy a healthy lifestyle without the provision of open spaces. It is for this reason that there is a growing need for the provision of properly designed open spaces in urban areas since such spaces act as significant community assets and as places of refuge in heavily populated urban areas. This dissertation puts forward the simple proposition that new public open spaces need to be provided and they should not consist of the leftover space of design neglect. This study identifies suitable methods of provisions and locations of open spaces within the urban areas of the Maltese Islands, and indicates the type of spaces to be provided depending on the location and the purpose they are to serve. The dissertation also brings forward numerous criteria that need to be considered in open space design, and these are explained further by the analysis of various case studies from Malta and abroad