In conversation with architect Duncan Muscat

Can you walk us through your journey into architecture?

Having an architect as a father meant that architecture was embedded deeply in my everyday life from a very young age. Effectively, I have always experienced the built environment actively since at home, building efficiency was discussed critically as a protection from the elements of the weather, as a response to the residents’ needs and ultimately the result of a cross-sectoral service which only an architect can provide.

My earliest memories of architecture emanate from watching my father extend and modify the house we were to move into, to accommodate the family he and my mother had just begun to build. Although I was very young at the time, witnessing how architecture could adapt to life’s changing needs left a profound and lasting impression.

Ultimately, as I matured, what eventually drew me toward the profession was architecture’s unique position at the intersection of creativity, science, and societal impact. Winston Churchill’s observation that “we shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us” has remained a guiding principle throughout my career, encapsulating architecture’s enduring influence on human behaviour and identity.

How was Perit Anthony Muscat and Associates originally founded, and what core principles shaped its early years?

Perit Anthony Muscat and Associates began in the most modest of settings once my father decided to turn freelance, in the form of a single room converted within my grandmother’s house. From that small, improvised space, my father built the practice gradually, project by project and as he gradually earned the trust of clients. As a child, I would occasionally observe and sometimes take an early interest in his work, absorbing the rhythms of practice long before I understood its full complexity.

Those early encounters were informal and unstructured, yet formative. I remember ink on tracing drawings spread across drawing boards or tables, measured conversations about sites and constraints, and a quiet insistence on accuracy and responsibility. Without realising it at the time, these moments shaped my understanding of architecture not as an abstract pursuit, but as a disciplined craft grounded in care, precision, and accountability. What began as curiosity gradually matured into intent.

It was only later, after completing my architectural studies and obtaining my architect’s degree, that I formally joined the practice. By then, the principles that had defined the studio from its earliest days professional integrity, technical rigour, and respect for context felt less like inherited values and more like a shared professional language, one I was prepared to carry forward into the next chapter of our office.

Your late father, Perit Anthony Muscat, was a highly respected figure in Malta’s architectural landscape. How has his legacy influenced your own approach to practice and leadership?

To date, my father’s legacy continues to shape my approach to both practice and leadership. He incessantly demonstrated that, besides technical expertise, architecture also requires moral responsibility and voiced judgment. While his professional standards were rigorous, his leadership was never imposed; it was calculated, humane, and often expressed through small interactive gestures with both the clients and the craftsmen on site. He also had a way of lifting the mood through a passing comment, sometimes without any effort whatsoever, creating an atmosphere in which collaboration and encouragement felt natural rather than directed.

He would often remind me that architecture proves its worth over time. For him, lasting buildings were not defined by novelty or immediate impact, but by how well they continued to serve people years after completion. This understanding naturally echoes Louis Sullivan’s principle that “form follows function”, though he taught it as something far broader: a holistic relationship between use, context, and expression, grounded in responsibility and restraint.

How do you balance maintaining the firm’s long-standing ethos with introducing your own vision and contemporary methodologies?

I see continuity and innovation as complementary rather than opposing forces. The firm’s foundational ethos; precision, accountability and a deeply human-centred approach, remains unchanged. My contribution has been merely to expand this framework through my acquired knowledge in sustainability and social wellbeing, alongside insights gained from substantial exposure to diverse cultural contexts overseas. These experiences have sharpened my awareness of how architecture responds differently across climates, societies, and ways of living and have opened my mind to different solutions to local needs.

By integrating contemporary methodologies particularly in environmental performance, social resilience, and, where possible, even evolving technologies, I aim to ensure that the practice remains both relevant and responsible. When approached critically, innovation does not dilute a firm’s identity; it reinforces it, allowing long-standing values to be expressed through contemporary tools and global perspectives.

What are your thoughts on the current state of architecture in Malta, and how do you envision its evolution?

Malta’s architectural landscape today reflects a condition of both opportunity and tension. Increasing exposure to foreign cultures and global modes of living has broadened expectations, yet this coincides with intense development pressure and finite land resources. As a result, the need to build upwards is becoming unavoidable, demanding greater care in how density, liveability, and urban character are negotiated.

The responsibility to re-engage with the existing built fabric is essential and the adaptive reuse of derelict buildings offer an opportunity to accommodate contemporary needs without erasing cultural memory. When approached intelligently, these projects can bridge past and present, embedding modern performance standards within historically layered contexts which also need to be respected.

Looking forward, according to me, architecture in Malta must move beyond short-term yield and regulatory compliance. Environmental performance, social impact, and cultural continuity should be treated not as constraints, but as core design drivers. The evolution of the profession lies in reasserting architecture as a long-term public responsibility, one that balances growth with restraint, and innovation with stewardship.

How do Malta’s specific challenges and opportunities shape your design process?

Malta’s dense urban fabric, limited land availability, and layered historical context demand a disciplined and highly considered design process. Within these constraints, there is a growing responsibility to pursue greener design strategies, optimising natural light and ventilation, improving energy performance, and responding sensitively to climate. As Buckminster Fuller aptly noted, “We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims.”

Malta’s evolving society requires architecture that is adaptable and inclusive, capable of accommodating diverse patterns of living, working, and social interaction. Interior environments therefore become as critical as the external form, with comfort, flexibility, and wellbeing guiding spatial decisions.

Each project involves a careful calibration of scale, accessibility, structural integrity, and socio-economic realities. Rather than limiting creativity, these conditions consistently push the design process toward solutions that are both resilient and humane, balancing environmental responsibility with spatial quality and cultural awareness.

How would you describe your architectural philosophy, and how has it evolved?

My architectural philosophy begins with the premise that buildings are not objects, but environments that actively condition human behaviour, health, and resilience. I place primary importance on internal spaces, ensuring they are healthy, adaptable, and capable of supporting both physical and psychological wellbeing. Structure and form emerge from this interior logic, with external systems designed to carry loads, withstand climate, and endure over time without excess.

Rather than treating architecture as a visual assertion, I see it as a form of calibrated intervention. The exterior of a building should converse with its surroundings, strengthening the existing fabric without imitation, and contributing without dominance. Context is not a constraint to be overcome, but a resource to be interpreted.

Each project is conceived as a tailored framework for activity, shaped by how people occupy space internally and extend into their immediate external environment. In this sense, architecture could be considered as an infrastructural act as much as a spatial one, operating across environmental, social, and structural systems simultaneously. Since my work is informed by specialised studies in sustainable infrastructure and social wellbeing, I personally belief that the most progressive architecture is not the loudest, but the most responsible, the most durable, and ultimately, the most humane.

Could you share some significant projects and what they revealed about your approach to design?

Working across a broad range of sectors, including residential, commercial, hospitality, educational, and public projects, has reinforced adaptability as a fundamental design principle. The refurbishment of the Libyan Higher Vocational Institute at St Julians revealed how adaptive reuse can reinstate purpose and relevance, while carefully negotiating between contemporary performance requirements and the existing architectural fabric.

Boutique hospitality projects, such as Lulu’s in Żebbuġ, sharpened the firm’s focus on atmosphere, scale, and intimacy, where spatial sequencing and interior character (as created in cooperation with the owners of the hotel) play a defining role. Similarly, larger residential developments, such as Champagne Gardens in Qawra, Urban Square in Pieta, Regent Place in Tigné and Deluxe Point in Sliema (the latter designed with Carlo Schembri and Andhole Studios) brought into focus the responsibility inherent in density, not only at an urban scale but within the private realm of individual units. A substantial portion of my work has involved the detailed design of personal interior spaces, such as bedrooms, living areas, study spaces, and transitional zones, ensuring they are comfortable, adaptable, and responsive to everyday patterns of use.

Across all these projects, a consistent lesson has emerged: attentive listening; to clients, users, and context, is as critical as technical competence. It is through this dialogue that architecture moves beyond mere provision of space to support a meaningful, lived experience.

What distinguishes your work within the Maltese context?

Our work is defined by attentiveness and realism, beginning with precise site surveys and a rigorous understanding of existing conditions. Particular care is given to the protection of historic building fabric and architectural (or archaeological) remains, which we regard not as constraints but as essential carriers of memory and identity. Where possible, we prioritise restoration over replacement, retaining characteristic Maltese design features such as stone construction, proportions, and spatial hierarchies.

At the same time, these buildings are carefully adapted to accommodate contemporary ways of living and working. By modifying use rather than erasing character, we aim to extend the life of heritage structures while ensuring they remain functional, safe, and relevant. This approach is supported by a clear understanding of client needs and economic realities, grounding each intervention in feasibility, longevity, and respect for place.

Who have been your greatest influences or sources of inspiration?

My primary and most enduring influence to date remains my father, whose approach to architecture was grounded in responsibility, restraint, and respect for people and place. Beyond this personal foundation, I have drawn inspiration from architects whose work demonstrates a deep understanding of human-centred design, particularly within residential and educational contexts where architecture directly shapes daily life.

Figures such as Alvar Aalto and Renzo Piano continue to resonate strongly. Aalto’s belief that “architecture belongs to culture, not to civilisation” remains especially relevant in navigating today’s globalised yet locally grounded design challenges, while Piano’s sensitivity to scale, materiality, and human experience offers a compelling model for contemporary practice.

I am also influenced by architects whose work in housing and education balances clarity with empathy, such as Herman Hertzberger, whose educational buildings foreground social interaction, and Lacaton & Vassal, whose residential projects demonstrate how generosity of space and adaptability can coexist with restraint.

Closer to home, Maltese architects such as Richard England have been a significant source of inspiration, particularly in their ability to draw meaning from history, and spirituality blending modern design with regional influences and the “spirit of place”. Together, these influences reinforce my belief that architecture is at its most powerful when it serves people quietly, thoughtfully, and over time.

Are there current trends that particularly resonate with you?

Several current directions in architecture resonate strongly with me, particularly those rooted in responsibility rather than novelty. Adaptive reuse stands out as both a cultural and environmental imperative. The careful restoration of existing buildings, especially those with historic value, allows us to preserve identity while reprogramming spaces to support contemporary life, reducing waste and extending the social usefulness of the built fabric. Passive environmental strategies are equally central to my thinking. Designing for natural light, ventilation, thermal comfort, and material longevity not only improves environmental performance but directly contributes to health and wellbeing within interior spaces. In this sense, sustainability is inseparable from social responsibility.

How do you integrate innovation and sustainability while remaining true to the firm’s identity?

Innovation within the practice is applied selectively and with intent. Rather than pursuing novelty for its own sake, we focus on methods and technologies that genuinely enhance performance, longevity, and social value. Sustainability is embedded at every stage of the design process, through considered material selection, efficient structural systems, passive environmental strategies, and carefully planned spatial layouts, so that it becomes an integral part of how a building functions, not an added layer.

A core aspect of the firm’s identity lies in giving equal consideration to all stakeholders involved in the architectural process. Whether engaging with clients, users, regulatory authorities, or the wider community, our approach is guided by balance, transparency, and professional responsibility. Architecture, in this sense, is understood as a mediating act; one that reconciles private ambition with public interest.

Innovation is particularly important in the refurbishment and change of use of existing buildings. Here, contemporary tools and techniques allow us to improve performance, extend lifespan, and accommodate new functions while safeguarding cultural value and existing fabric. Technology supports informed decision-making and rigorous analysis, but it never replaces professional judgement or ethical responsibility. In remaining true to these principles, innovation becomes a means of continuity rather than disruption, strengthening the firm’s identity while allowing it to evolve.

What advice would you offer aspiring architects seeking meaningful impact?

I would encourage aspiring architects to approach the profession with patience, curiosity, and humility. Architecture is not mastered quickly, nor is its impact immediate. It is learned through careful observation, hands-on experience, and meaningful mentorship, on site, in the studio, and through engagement with people and place.

I would also stress the importance of understanding architecture as a responsibility rather than a platform for self-expression. Pay attention to context, to existing buildings and their histories, to environmental limits, and to the social wellbeing of those who will inhabit the spaces you design. Meaningful impact often comes not from bold gestures, but from thoughtful decisions made consistently over time.

Within our own practice, we have always promoted structured learning pathways for young professionals through internships and long-term mentoring, believing that knowledge is something to be shared and built upon. As Peter Zumthor observed, “Architecture is not about style, it is about atmosphere.” That understanding, of how spaces feel, endure, and support life, can only develop with time, care, and a genuine respect for the discipline.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Perit Anthony Muscat and Associates?

Looking ahead, my aspiration is for Perit Anthony Muscat and Associates to continue evolving as a practice that actively shapes a more thoughtful and humane built environment. I envision the studio as a place where architectural responsibility leads decision-making, where heritage is not merely preserved, but reinterpreted; where sustainability is embedded as a cultural ethic; and where buildings are designed to genuinely support how people live, learn, and interact.

As Malta continues to face increasing density, environmental pressure, and social change, I hope the practice can act as a critical yet constructive voice, demonstrating that progress does not require erasure, and that innovation can coexist with memory, restraint, and care. The ambition is not to pursue visibility for its own sake, but to contribute architecture that strengthens communities, elevates everyday experience, and remains relevant long after completion.

Ultimately, my vision is for the firm to stand as a custodian of continuity and change, bridging generations of knowledge, fostering new ways of thinking, and helping shape a future where architecture is once again understood as a long-term civic act rather than a short-term commodity.