The British colonial influence on urban design in Malta during the course of the nineteenth century, up to the mid twentieth century

Abstract

The British, during their stay on the Islands, battled against the love of Baroque ornamentation which was so deeply ingrained in the Maltese, in an effort to establish their own style of architecture. The effect of British ideas on the Maltese landscape have been many. The nineteenth century saw the Islands change from clusters of scattered villages and occasional towns, to an urban network of streets connecting one steadily expanding urban area to another. This study gives importance to the terraced row house, which was a direct result of the British sanitary regulations. The terraced house proved itself ideal for the Maltese climate and lifestyle. The technological advancements which the British introduced provided opportunity for the Maltese to apply decorative elements to the somber facades. The Maltese proved themselves to be highly adaptable, adopting the elements which appealed to them most. The essay in no way claims to be exhaustive, but aims to highlight some important factors which were introduced by the British authorities to Malta, with regards to the architectural aspects and the resulting urban spaces. Due to the vastness of the topic, the study is confined to some important villages and towns in Malta only. The modern accretions that have been added to the buildings have caused difficulties in the study. However, wherever possible, examples with the least possible modifications were chosen.