An 11-floor building on the site of the current Portomaso café, right next to the Portomaso tower, was approved today by the Planning Authority Board.
Architect Ray Demicoli delivered a presentation, and said the design for this 11-floor building is a result of the demand generated by the Portomaso tower for office space.
The site identified is that on the current Portomaso Café. The four floors above the café will utilise the whole floorspace area designated for the building, and then a terracing effect will be utilised for the remaining floors, with the floor area reducing with each one.
The potential floor area without such a terracing effect is 6,545m2. But would be lower due to the terracing.
He said that it was important to construct a building that reduced the visual impact of Portomaso tower. It will mainly use glass, and thus have visibility right through, he said.
The building will also make use of wooden ceilings on alternate floors. A metal aluminium grid on the side will help drain rainwater from the terraces.
The architect explained that the building would also provide a certain amount of shelter from the wind as well, he said.
"Given that St Julian’s is a business hub according to the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED), then it encourages such development".
A traffic impact statement was conducted, and so was a green travel plan. The parking needed can be satisfied through the existing Portomaso car park, the Board heard.
Portomaso car park caters for 2,000 spaces and 797 of which are allocated for residents. The Traffic Impact Assessment assumes that 300 are taken up an any one time. The proposed development, which includes the existing cafeteria would range between 119, 226 and 333 parking spaces, and the parking requirement is catered for in the actual car park, the board heard.
The roof will be used for the building's services.
PA Chairperson Vince Cassar said the design is interesting, but looks kind of cut off at the top, and said it would look better with one or two more terracing floors.
PN MP Ryan Callus, who sits on the board, also praised the design, and said the transparency of the building, given the see-through qualities due to the use of glass is positive.
The board heard how the residential zone on the opposite side of the street from the tower is a different zone from that on the Portomaso Café site. The application was unanimously approved.