Gozo quarry at Simar earmarked for marina cruise liner

International design firm publishes plans of Gozo marina and cruise-liner terminal

(C) Chapman Taylor
(C) Chapman Taylor
(C) Chapman Taylor
(C) Chapman Taylor
(C) Chapman Taylor
(C) Chapman Taylor
(C) Chapman Taylor
(C) Chapman Taylor

Chapman Taylor in Milan has been chosen to design a mixed-use project set inside the former limestone quarry in Qala.

Fourteen entries were shortlisted in the international competition to design a 220,000m² mixed-use project, which will be built within a former limestone quarry known as tas-Simar. The competition was launched by Kalamarine Development Consortium, the sole bidder for the Gozo cruise liner terminal.

The consortium has not been officially chosen to develop the marina.

The concept proposed by Chapman Taylor comprises of a new cruise terminal building and contemporary yacht marina, residential apartments, villas, luxury hotel and retail and leisure facilities all with panoramic views of the ocean.

“Chapman Taylor’s Milan team meticulously designed the new development to blend into the Mediterranean landscape, carefully manipulating the roughness of the coastline overhanging the site. The land was previously occupied by an old quarry, which meant a complex and challenging task for the architects to deliver a contemporary design that still retains the delicate and harsh beauty of the surroundings,” the company said.

The new marina will be excavated and settled in a limestone cove eroded by both nature and man, the apartments will emerge from the cliffs and their facades built from the same rock, the villas within their terraced green gardens will cascade down to the sea following the natural slope of the headland.

Essentially, the rock itself has enforced the architecture and acts as the most important construction material that the buildings are merged into.