Urban Design, Competitions and Concept Designs

Rethinking the Urban Space

Location:
Balluta Square, St. Julian's, Malta
Year:
2013
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Balluta Square and Scicluna Steps together offer an important urban node with the potential to create better accessibility and better connection with the surrounding land uses. Major issues hinder Scicluna Steps today. Our design objective was to create a meaningful urban space that would become a vital component of a vibrant, pedestrianised neighbourhood in social, economic, and environmental terms. Many successful case studies showcase how pedestrian footfall could be enhanced through artistic interventions as well as the integration of natural elements and optimum night lighting levels that increase the safety and security of the space.

Our strategic proposal centred on the creation of a prioritised pedestrian space, with a traffic-calmed area outlining the extents of Balluta Square and Scicluna Steps, thus enabling it to read as one legible urban space. Place-specific outdoor furniture and lighting have been introduced to complement the intervention, and to also nurture the present thriving community of bars, cafés, and restaurants in the area.