Design - Simon Grech, Alan Galea, Daniela Spiteri Binett,
Structures - Jade Farrugia
Project Management - David Grech, MODEL
Photography - Alex Attard
In Sliema, Malta, House 35 is less a renovation than a rebirth—an abandoned double-fronted townhouse reimagined as a luminous home, where Maltese heritage converses quietly yet confidently with the language of contemporary design.
The design’s reverence for its surroundings is immediately clear at street level. The historic limestone façade is meticulously preserved, an act of urban stewardship that reinforces the cultural identity of the Sliema streetscape. Above it, the new floor withdraws in quiet respect, set back to form a private terrace and veiled by a modest unpointed, permeable limestone wall that slips discreetly behind the original parapet. This monolithic screen, textured and luminous, filters light while safeguarding privacy from the overlooking apartment block, its composition crowned by a pigmented concrete cornice that carries forward the rhythm of the neighbouring buildings.
Internally, the project radically resolves the typical spatial challenges of the traditional townhouse typology. At the heart of the home, a multi-performative vertical circulation core acts as a conduit for light, art, and life. Crafted from raw, untreated concrete, this sculptural element houses a staircase and lift. Glass landings allow natural light to cascade through the building's depth, creating a dramatic vertical gallery that enhances the environment and serves as a backdrop for the clients' art collection. Its design is imbued with meaning; a cruciform column with vertical slit windows pays poetic tribute to the adjacent parish annexes, its upward gestures quietly pointing to the heavens.
Integrated into this vertical strategy is the striking ‘tree trunk tube’ element. This oval-shaped intervention funnels light into the building, specifically illuminating the original staircase. Crucially, its alignment on a north-west / south-east axis—responding to the prevailing Maltese winds—breaks down the rigidity of the otherwise rational plan. This move makes the new interventions immediately legible while offering the occupants a subtle, tactile sense of orientation. Beyond being a conduit for light, the tube acts as a conduit for life, threading the floors together. In the bedroom, a circular opening within its form allows parents to exchange words and laughter with their children below, transforming the stairwell into both a spatial and emotional heart of the home.
The material palette is one of honesty and purpose: white terrazzo floors, which accommodate modern underfloor heating, contrast sharply with the raw concrete of the core, making a clear distinction between the new work and the historic fabric.
A defining feature is the recurring use of the colour blue in different shades. This choice is deeply symbolic, simultaneously referencing the parish colours of Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) and the client’s personal history. The inspiration is tied to trips to Jodhpur, India, where blue is traditionally painted on buildings for sanitation, helping to repel insects and keep the interiors cool. This layering of cultural and practical meaning elevates a simple colour choice into a rich narrative element.
