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Karl Schembri and Karl Stagno-Navarra
Richard England, the architect who was paid more than Lm270,000 from taxpayers’ money to redesign the Valletta entrance and the destroyed Royal Opera House has told MaltaToday he was “greatly disappointed” by government’s latest idea to leave everything as is.
Three times commissioned for the plans to regenerate the 60-year-old ruins, England shot down the latest “idea” coming from the very same minister, Francis Zammit Dimech, who repeatedly assigned him over the last decade for plans that have been dumped for good.
“Now we hear that the site will be left as it is, and while they are at it they should consider a canvas canopy, and like that they could bandage a seriously injured building,” England said sarcastically when contacted in London.
Indeed, from the Lm50 million visionary dream of rebuilding the filthy City Gate and the Royal Opera House ruins on Renzo Piano and Richard England designs, government has just woken up to tell us everything will remain the same.
For Richard England, the only positive thing that came out of this latest proposal, if so it can be called, is that “whoever has the power to decide” has finally scrapped the idea of housing parliament there.
The solution to the opera house left in ruins since World War II according to the Culture and Tourism Minister lies in none of the dozen or so reports and plans commissioned by himself – it’s there, right in front of us, only without the cars. Instead of calling it ruins, we will now call it an open-air venue.
“That site is a jewel, and it’s disappointing that after so many years of talk, proposals and designs, this is the option they could come up with,” England said.
The architect who made a name for his unconventional, though often impractical style, was critical of the fact that since 1992, when he was first commissioned to submit the plans, “we have witnessed years of so much indecision” from subsequent governments.
In England’s opinion, the Royal Opera House site at the heart of Valletta merits a structure that befits a nation and a capital city that catapults us into the reality of the 21st century.
“Nobody seems to have the vision or understanding about the potential of the site” he said, adding that it is “even more disappointing when one sees the potential it has to attract tourists, just as other important cities have recognised and erected buildings that befit the 21st century”.
Lm300,000 to keep it as it is!
And yet, very few have come out against Zammit Dimech’s idea, and with good reason. After years dreaming of a totally revamped entrance to our capital, Freedom Square, the bus terminus site and Valletta ditch, in 2004 plans mutated into Gonzi’s idea to turn the ruins into a new parliament stirring a wave of resistance. Better leave it as it is, then.
Only that the Maltese are some Lm300,000 poorer for a half-baked revamp of the Valletta entrance. The bulk of the sum went to Richard England, who charged more than Lm203,000 for the St James Cavalier plans, the only project that took off the ground. Another Lm69,000 were spent on plans that remained drawings on paper and nothing else.
Plans for the rebuilding of the opera house which included a state of the art theatre and underground parking would have cost between Lm19 million and Lm22 million. It had to be a National Arts Centre, which also comprised the redesigning of the entire entrance to Valletta.
Even when, more than once, the plans were scrapped, it was England again to be commissioned by the government for the same project, prompting architects to protest in 2004 when once again he was to submit new designs.
Minister Jesmond Mugliett had said then that the decision to retain the services of Prof. England was based on the confidence in his capabilities “and in order to ensure the continuity with the plans which have already been developed for Freedom Square, the car park and St James Cavalier”.
Back in 1998, Zammit Dimech had declared: “The construction of the art centre is expected to be ready by the year 2002.” He had also declared that the whole Valletta master plan would cost Lm30 million.
In February 1999, Zammit Dimech, referring to the opera house project, said that “the government is in the driving seat and will remain in the driving seat.”
By summer 2001, the whole project went up to Lm50 million but then Zammit Dimech later reported that the European Investment Bank “will probably ask to be directly involved in the project which might be prepared to grant the full loan of Lm40 million.”
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