Revitalising An Iconic Square

Once dominated by traffic, Mosta’s central square has been reimagined as a civic heart, no longer a place to pass through, but one to dwell in. Completed in 2024, the regeneration of Rotunda Square marks a decisive shift from fragmentation to connection, returning the space to its people and restoring civic pride.

The redesign unfolds with quiet clarity. Vehicles have given way to people: families gather, children play, and cafés spill into shaded corners. A unified, accessible plane now replaces the disjointed past, creating a coherent public room anchored by the Rotunda’s monumental presence.

Local stone, soft landscaping, and integrated lighting lend the square warmth, texture, and permanence. Greenery and tree canopies bring rhythm and respite, underpinned by sustainable infrastructure like hidden stormwater channels.

Adaptability is central, modular furnishings, removable bollards, and thoughtful lighting allow the square to shift between everyday use and communal events. Informed by public consultation, the transformation prioritised community identity over spectacle.

Today, Rotunda Square pulses with life. It is not merely a backdrop, but a living stage for Mosta’s daily rhythms, reflecting a return to place, presence, and shared meaning.

This project is submitted to the 2025 MASP Awards as a model for Maltese urban regeneration, an example of how architecture and design can act not as imposition, but as invitation. 

Photos by Sean Mallia