Following the failure of the previously selected site for the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS) to come to fruition, the MICAS Board was presented with the opportunity to develop the former St Elmo Examination Centre as an alternative location. Although this provided a possible way forward, I did not consider the site to be the ideal location for the ambitions of MICAS. At the same time, the Board had indicated that the project could potentially adopt a satellite approach, allowing activities to extend across a number of locations.

I therefore proposed a different approach: rather than accepting the available site as the starting point, to reconsider the question of what constitutes the ideal site for MICAS and to identify a location capable of supporting the institution's long-term ambitions. The proposal that followed was based on the belief that MICAS should not simply occupy an existing building, but should act as a catalyst for the regeneration of a significant part of Malta's historic urban fabric. The selected site offered the opportunity to combine contemporary art with Malta's history, landscape, harbour, public realm and cultural infrastructure.

The site presented considerable challenges, including its extensive scale, poor existing connections, limited footfall and neglected public realm. However, these were also seen as opportunities. Through carefully designed interventions, the project could open the site physically and visually, establish new connections between land and sea, introduce new public uses and create a strong cultural destination. The underlying proposition was therefore not simply to find a building for MICAS, but to find a place where MICAS could become a destination, a public space, a cultural magnet and an instrument of urban regeneration.

THE VALUES OF THE PROPOSED MICAS SITE

Exceptional Historic Character

• A site with a strong historic identity and connection to Malta's heritage.

• The historic setting gives MICAS a distinctive character that a conventional new-build site could not provide.

Harbour Location and Exceptional Views

• Strong relationship with the harbour and surrounding landscape.

• Views from the site create opportunities for art, architecture and landscape to work together.

Potential to Become an Iconic Destination

• The site has the potential to accommodate distinctive architectural and artistic interventions.

• Iconic elements could become visible from long-distance views and establish MICAS as a recognisable landmark.

A Site Capable of Being Transformed

• Existing weaknesses—poor definition, inactive frontages and neglected spaces—provide opportunities for meaningful intervention.

• The project can give a currently underutilised area a new identity and purpose.

Strong Relationship Between Inside and Outside

• The spatial relationship between buildings, courtyards, open spaces and the surrounding landscape has considerable potential.

• Art can extend beyond galleries into outdoor spaces.

Opportunity for a New Public Realm

• The existing approach and public spaces can be upgraded.

• Opening up the site can create greater visual and physical permeability.

• The project can introduce new spaces for public use and encounter.

Connection Between Land and Sea

• The site has the unusual potential to be accessed from both the landward and seaward sides.

• A strengthened sea-level connection and ferry node could introduce a completely different arrival experience.

Improved Accessibility

• New access points can connect different levels of the site.

• Potential connections include the sea level, Sa Maison Garden, CDRT and the existing school level.

• Lifts, funiculars, moving pedestrian platforms and other systems could help overcome the site's changes in level.

Potential to Generate Footfall

• Although the existing area suffers from poor pedestrian activity, MICAS can become the reason people come to the area.

• Its free public access and cultural programme can create a new destination and strengthen movement through the site.

A Cultural Magnet

• MICAS can introduce continuous activity into an otherwise relatively quiet area.

• A combination of exhibitions, events, outdoor art and a major function venue could ensure activity throughout the day and year.

Relationship with Surrounding Institutions

• The site is close to a number of existing uses, including the Garden of Repose, Hotel Excelsior, Public Library, CDRT and public-sector offices.

• MICAS could act as a catalyst, bringing these surrounding activities into a stronger cultural relationship.

Opportunity for encounters

• The introduction of international and local artists can create a destination with a strong artistic identity.

• The project can provide experiences and encounters that are currently lacking in the area.

A Sustainable New Use for Historic Space

• The project can give new life to under utilised historic space dating from the 1600s.

• Rather than treating heritage as static, MICAS can demonstrate how historic places can accommodate contemporary cultural uses.

Public Access to a Significant Place

• The project offers the opportunity to make a historically significant but relatively inaccessible area available to the public.

• MICAS can turn previously fragmented spaces into a connected public and cultural destination.

Potential for Regeneration

• MICAS can extend beyond being an art institution and become an instrument for the regeneration of the surrounding area.

• The project can improve the area's identity, accessibility, activity and public realm.

Potential for Outdoor Art

• The scale of the site allows sculpture and other artistic interventions to extend beyond the conventional gallery.

• Outdoor artworks could continue into adjoining areas and become part of the wider urban experience.
  

Flexibility and Adaptability

• The site offers opportunities for adaptable uses and different types of cultural activity.

• Its configuration allows the project to develop over time while maintaining an overall vision.

Potential for a comprehensive project

• The scale of the site allows the different functions of MICAS to reinforce one another.

• Rather than creating isolated satellite activities, the site has the potential to form a coherent cultural complex.

Long-term institutional identity

• The combination of heritage, landscape, harbour, public access and contemporary art could give MICAS a unique identity.

• The site could become synonymous with the institution itself.

THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUE

The strongest argument for the site is therefore that its weaknesses are also its opportunities.

1. Its isolation can be addressed through new connections.

2. Its poor public realm can be transformed.

3. Its lack of activity can be replaced by a continuous cultural programme.

4. Its fragmented spaces can be connected.

5. Its historic character can become the setting for contemporary art.

6. And its relationship with the harbour can create an arrival and visitor experience that is unique in Malta.

The proposal was consequently not simply about finding a location for MICAS. It was about identifying a site where art, heritage, public space, architecture and urban regeneration could operate together.