The Malta Architecture and Spatial Planning Award winners were announced recently. The awards recognise quality architectural and interior design projects and are organised by the Planning Authority. Their purpose is to promote and give recognition to quality architectural and interior design projects that promise to leave a positive mark for decades to come.

The President's Award was handed to Prof. Richard England by President Myriam Spiteri Debono, for his outstanding contribution to the education, theory and practice of architecture and his distinguished lifetime service towards the profession, the jury panel said.

Introduced as 'a legend' Professor England delivered the following quotable speech: "This is a little overwhelming and I have to say, I had a wonderful evening, I hope you had a wonderful evening, although I was going to say 'good morning!' I want to say how honoured I am to have this award and even greater honour to receive it from the hands of Her Excellency. Thank you so much.

I think, and I am quite sure, that home grown awards are more precious than the many prizes and awards that one receives overseas.  As I said I cherish it much more than others....so I am extremely grateful to the jury and the chairman of the Planning Authority for giving me this award and as I said I cherish is much more than others.

60 years in architecture, three-quarters of the audience here weren't even born. 60 years when in the first period I was looking for an architecture which was an architecture for the people, an architecture fashioned on the background and the origins of our island; especially the vernacular architecture, the architecture of non architects. There I was trying to find a solution to the building which belonged specifically to the spirit of place of our islands. In a way I recall that my philosophy was based on the words of the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók who said: 'What is new and significant must of necessity be granted to old roots.'  The second period, after the regionalist era, was one, and still is, one when I was looking for an architecture which enhances the spirit and also the soul.

C.S. Lewis had a wonderful saying and I paraphrase it: 'I was hoping not to build boats in my bottles but to build a lighthouse.' To me the words of Tennessee Williams: 'I don't want reality, I want magic.'  That is what I have tried to achieve in my architecture over the many years.

Now one of the points I want to emphasise is to thankfully look in terms of what being an architect involves. Winston Churchill had said: 'We shape our buildings, thereafter, they shape us.' This is a big onus on our shoulders. We are the ones who produce environments within which people work, people live and we can either make people happy by the ambience we create or make them unhappy, because of the ugliness.

Now allow me a lament, and this is not a criticism but a lament because of the love which I have for my native land.  The spires of faith have been eclipsed by the towers of mammon. And I urge all architects to be careful and also the authorities not to end up as tools for the rampant, money making, greedy developers with no possible attempt to try and beautify the island. So, it is the duty, and solemn duty, of all the members of our profession to make sure that what we put up is better than what we pull down.

Now let me be optimistic. What I have seen today is promising and I congratulate all the architects, especially the young ones.  You have wonderful opportunities and I beg the authorities to use your talents because you have been lucky in having individual clients mostly for houses - and therefore you need a good client, a good architect and you probably need a good contractor. But I urge the authorities even for public buildings, to perhaps organise competitions for architects under the age of 35. You deserve it and this will give you openings for larger and more intriguing and fascinating projects. What I see today promises well.

Once again may I extend my sincere thanks to Her Excellency and wish her a prosperous five years and to all the people who have been involved. Thank you very much. Allow me just one more sentence.

I dedicate this award to my wife  Myriam, my son and my daughter."