The development potential of Valletta's rooftop landscape

Abstract

In the traditional Maltese context, a building is perceived as all that lies between the damp proof course and the opra morta, negating any contribution which the rooftop can give towards the functioning of the building it sits on, and therefore relegating it to a no man's land cluttered with building services and utilitarian structures. However, the traditional flat roof, the Mediterranean climate, the lessons of history and the lack of virgin land accompanied by the reality of urban sprawl indicate that this space should be used otherwise. This is even more true for the particular case of Valletta where the virtual non-existance of vacant building lots and the high proportion of vacant and dilapidated buildings imply that new and innovative solutions are required for urban regeneration. The rooftop offers the possibility for the development of a contemporary architectural language, the upgrading of Valletta's historic fabric to cater for contemporary requirements, whilst simultaneously mitigating the aesthetic problems which have resulted from its neglect. This understanding, backed by the role which such a space played throughout history on an international scale, both at the levels of urban and architectural design are the fundamental notions guiding this research.