Morphing from a mere fishing village at the start of the 19th century to the idyllic seaside resort it matured into after the last war, who would have thought that Sliema would be the Maltese Islands' most desirable place to be? Property owners hailing mainly from the steaming walled harbour cities wanted fresh, new houses and airy roads, built with elegance and gusto, the deep blue sea practically at their porch, indeed The Front.

Today, beleaguered as it is with incessant demolition and concreting, Sliema soldiers on, a victim of its own success, and of course dubious planning. The legacy left by these long-dead architects has suffered tremendously. These men whom history has dusted over must be recognised as pioneers and this lecture celebrates them through their precious work. 'Architecture by architect' is an ongoing project steered by the speaker to take stock of Sliema's myriad styles, something which despite the many losses, the town can still, believe it or not, boast the greatest diversity nationwide.

In his delivery, Edward Said will introduce the personas behind a selection of architectural pieces some of which are considered icons of design movements which were short-lived, endemic and today endangered.

At a time when bland construction has pushed aside good architecture, the ultimate aim of this research is to ensure that awareness thrives, and more protection follows.

Said is an architect by profession, specialising in building conservation and a student of Maltese architectural history. He was a founding member of the Sliema Heritage Society which in 2010 was set up in a bid to foster an appreciation about the town architectural patrimony. The society works closely with Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, the Sliema Local Council and other entities in this regard.

The talk will be held on Thursday, 16 November at 7pm at the Salesian Theatre.

 

For tickets visit https://ticketengine.faa.org.mt/