Designing a love story in Rabat

Angie the Architect is what we would refer to as a space-visionary. Her approach to her work over the years has gained her a strong reputation for delivering unique, award-winning concepts for both businesses and individuals. She leads a small team that focuses on designing space that can be enjoyed, used, loved and admired. For Angie design interpretation isn’t about delivering more of the same just because it’s safe. New ideas, materials, colours, techniques and concepts are brought together for best-in-class project delivery. And above all it’s the integration of a client’s personality and brand that truly influences her process. That and a good portion of the ever-important customisation!

We’ve seen the photos and fallen in love. How did this residential project in Rabat start?

Yes, it is a lovely design concept and execution that has been well received by so many people, especially the homeowners themselves! A few years back I was approached by a young couple, an accountant with a love for classic cars and a lawyer who is a keen book lover, who purchased this residential property in Rabat. They wanted to transform it from its 1980s building and design concept into something more modern and fitting their needs. I started my usual design process. Sitting down and getting a good brief about their dreams for space today and tomorrow and then the project took off from there.

Photo credit:Ramon Portelli

Is that hard to do? When you have multiple decision makers in the process, how can you please everyone?

I’ve always found that architecture has a little psychology entwined within it as well. You need to establish harmony between infrastructure, function, form and beauty. And you need to do that whilst trying to ensure the design lives up to the aspirations of all the people who will live or work within it. It’s not easy, but by actively listening and looking at the space objectively it’s possible. Rather than stipulating what the design should be, I absorb their ideas and attach them to my experience and expertise. The result, like for this property in Rabat, is something truly unique.

I know! That staircase is simply stunning. What made you give it this bold treatment?

The staircase was really the heart of where the design concept began. It is the centre of the home, visible from every room on both the lower and upstairs floors and the main entrance. It had this natural presence and grandeur. It demanded to be the centre of attention and I didn’t want to reject that feeling but explore it further to see where it might lead the design. You’ll see that it had very unusual angles which gave the space an almost sculptured feel. We decided to give it a customised treatment by creating a banister out of sprayed mdf. The form was cut on site to ensure a perfect fit all the way up and so we could see the angles in place, before finishing off site and then brought back for installation. By using a very specific tone of black, solid but with just a little shine, we allowed natural light to play off the finish. It feels and looks sculptured. Whilst it’s bold, it really reflects the energy of the home itself – strong, future focused, but interesting and exciting. It works especially by keeping the double floor height of the staircase rather than closing it off. It pulls you in and guides you through the flow of the building, without overwhelming you.

Photo credit: Ramon Portelli

We especially love the maximisation of the space under the staircase with the library. How did you think of that?

So many times spaces are under utilised or missed in the design process. I like to maximise what I can to give people, such as the option to have nooks and crannies that offer purpose and escape. My client loves books. So much so that this little library and reading nook were created especially for her passion. We worked with Joinwell to deliver this outstanding custom designed mini library made from solid wood. The corners and crevices are stacked with my client’s love and that’s never wasted space.

It's beautiful to see you’ve brought colours back into the design world in Malta. What made you do this?

Designers have spent years playing it safe. Whites, creams and neutrals were the way to go. Even textures were predominately cool linens and cottons. Mostly because it could allow the space to temporarily take on the personality of the people working or living within it. And if they moved on and new people came in it would be a smooth transition. But I challenge this now. Colour is a statement. An extension of a personality or a brand. Colour evokes a reaction. Warmth, focus, calm, pleasure. It’s a feast for the senses. And when you’re designing a forever-home, somewhere a family intends to stay for as long as they can, we shouldn’t be afraid of introducing colour into the design. Life is filled with colours we know and love, from the sky and sand to fruits and foliage. Colour has meaning. Yes, I can admit the design process is longer – I lost count of the samples and swatches we went through to get the perfect black and burgundy – but the result against the slightly off-white walls is so striking. We did want to keep more neutral tones for the bedrooms, because these are often decorated with personal memorabilia, a much more personal space that no design architect should enforce unless asked to do so of course.

Photo credit: Ramon Portelli

And this is the same effect you created in the kitchen with that beautiful green.

            I absolutely adore the kitchen. The feel of it with that inviting green and the customized cupboards, units and seating area. Kitchens can get messy and when my client started this project they were very clear about wanting the kitchen and dining areas to remain separate. By keeping the kitchen closed off from the rest of the house it became cosy, safe and calm. Should it get messy when entertaining it wouldn’t be an issue. Joinwell were so accommodating in our hunt for the perfect green colour, in fact this colour is unique for the project and not available off the shelf. The finishing is next level, and the introduction of soft lighting completes the experience. It’s somewhere you want to cook and eat in – or simply be in.

Did you conduct a lot of structural changes to the building?

The line of thought in the 2000s up until quite recently, was that open plan spatial design was the way to go.  But today - that’s not always best in practice. You need to think about sustainability and the environment, such as how much it will cost to heat or cool such large open spaces. Sometimes people also need escape areas. To focus, to rest, to cook, to entertain. It’s hard to do that in an open space without some level of confusion to the eye. Just like our lives, spatial design needs hints of division. Also, we had to consider that the building had no garden. A garden is usually a focal point and would call for more open space planning to allow all areas to enjoy its view. Without this feature we turned our attention to designing rooms with specific, unique purposes. We introduced contemporary design treatments such as squared off walls. Something I felt was vital to this home was that the entrance from the garage should be given equal importance as that from the road. When you enter a home, you should feel intrigued, invited and positive – no matter which entrance you are using.

Photo credit: Ramon Portelli

What other contemporary treatments did you introduce?

We commissioned the construction of a floating sliding door, made from slats of solid wood. This enabled our client to separate the formal dining room from the living room for everyday use. It also helped to prevent their pets from accessing the dining room and to avoid heating/cooling space which wasn’t used frequently. But then when entertaining they could open up the door and allow the full space of both areas to be enjoyed. The design and type of the lighting we used was chosen purposely to enhance this divider and its beautiful natural wood, and also to create an interesting play of light and shadows through the slats. It’s an accomplishment to create something sturdy enough not to shake without a floor rail, which is a renowned tripping hazard. I suppose it’s the smaller details I wouldn’t expect a visitor to notice that really excite me. But that’s the best part of design. To the viewer it’s symmetrical, easy, flowing and aesthetically pleasing. To me it’s drawings, diagrams and going down to the smallest of details to make sure it’s flawless.