Senglea’s Macina lights up Grand Harbour as Cugó Gran hotel nears opening

Senglea’s Maċina Bastion is given a brand new life following weeks of preparation and LED lighting additions - as an exclusive luxury accomodation Cugó Gran

The strikingly lit façade of the Cugó Gran Macina - Grand Harbour in Senglea
The strikingly lit façade of the Cugó Gran Macina - Grand Harbour in Senglea

Senglea’s iconic Maċina Bastion is currently in the final stages of restoration and renovation when it will be brought to life next month as an exclusive Cugó Gran luxury accommodation.

Following weeks of preparation, creative lighting installations have transformed the historical Maċina building’s façade into a page of luminous history by means of new led lighting technology, in a design concept highlighting the timeless prestige of the historic architectural structure.

Since it was built in 1554 during the reign of Grand Master Claude de la Sengle, the Sheer Bastion has been one of Malta’s Grand Harbour’s iconic landmarks. Maċina derived its name from the large crane structure  - the "macchina" - used to hoist masts and other heavy cargo. It was dismantled in 1864.

Once again, the Maċina is set to become a landmark of a different class: a luxury accommodation in a standout building that will be a showpiece, within the Cottonera Regeneration Project. Opening its doors in the coming weeks, the Cugó Gran – Macina, Grand Harbour will be under the dedicated management of IBB Hotel Collection.

The lighting project

Today’s LED technology serves to achieve the desired results as these aspects were not possible before, with conventional lighting.

The challenge lies in lighting up a building whilst also respecting the architectural features, colour of the stone, surrounding environment and using the darkness of nightfall. Enough light was used to accentuate certain features whilst blending other areas with enough light to show the formation of the building. By means of using darkness and shadows, the building is brought to life as it is not seen during the day.

Lighting historical buildings involves the challenge of achieving a balance between the historical fabric without floodlighting it and revealing the features without dramatizing them. The result is a blend of highlighted areas with uplighters, complemented with soft flood lighting around. Warm white light colour also serves to bring out the stone colour.

IBB Hotel Collection CEO Vladimir Saal, said the Maċina Grand Harbour in Malta enjoys an unrivalled historic location. “The splendid and beautiful façade lighting will be an additional welcoming feature for the most discerning traveller looking for a memorable experience, while presenting in the best of ways a long forgotten architectural jewel in Malta’s majestic Grand Harbour.”

IBB Hotel Collection is a subsidiary of Von der Heyden Group, a developer and investor based in Malta. Currently operating 11 hotels in Germany, Poland and Spain, the group has ambitious growth plans for the upcoming years.