PROJECT PODIUM

ART DIRECTION by CLAUDE BORG

2003 | Arch-con Atelier

Group of young people seated on stage, wearing blue and white clothing, with a large banner behind them displaying the Italian flag, the word 'IVA,' and European Union stars.

Designed during Malta's national referendum campaign on EU accession, this sculptural podium was conceived as more than a speaking platform. At a time when public opinion was sharply divided over questions of national identity, sovereignty and Malta's future within Europe, the brief called for a strong visual identity that could communicate unity, national pride and European partnership all at once.

An older man with glasses standing behind a microphone, holding a large French flag. Several people in blue clothing are seen in the background, including children and young adults.

TWO FLAGS, ONE FORM

The design takes as its starting point two flags caught mid-flutter in the wind: the Maltese flag and the flag of the European Union. Rather than one form dominating or absorbing the other, the two flow together as equal, complementary elements, standing side by side rather than merging into one. The composition argues, quite literally in built form, that embracing Europe need not come at the cost of Maltese identity.

Simple line drawing of a rectangular structure with a sloped roof and vertical support poles.
Line drawing of a simple sofa with a backrest and armrests
Simple line drawing of a sofa with two armrests and three cushions on top.
A line drawing of a floor plan with various rooms and corridors.
Silhouette of a gravestone with a cross, featuring a flag or plaque at the top

SYMBOLISM

The sweeping, intertwined forms wrap around the speaker from the front and sides, creating a sense of protection, confidence and presence at the podium. This embrace reinforces an idea of shared support and mutual values, translating what began as two flat, two-dimensional national symbols into a single three-dimensional architectural gesture of partnership and dialogue.

DEVELOPING THE FORM

The final geometry was refined through a series of studies exploring how the two flag forms could be layered and jointed without either one losing its identity. Notes on natural and stained plywood, grooved joints, and the positioning of the campaign's own logo record how a materially honest, buildable object was worked out from an initially free-flowing sculptural idea.

Hand-drawn architectural sketch of a building elevation with notes. The sketch shows multiple levels of the building with labeled features such as plywood layers, natural wood cladding, side plywood, grained plywood, and various facade details.

Elevation studies with material and jointing notes — natural and stained plywood, grooved panels

Line drawings of six different abstract geometric shapes or patterns arranged in two rows.

Design development successive iterations of the two flag forms coming together

MANUFACTURING STRATEGY

The complex curved geometry was designed to be manufactured through laminated timber construction. Multiple thin plywood sheets were bent over formers, glued together and pressed to create strong, self-supporting curved elements — a process that allowed smooth compound curves not achievable in solid timber, while combining structural efficiency with precise control over the final sculptural form.

Technical drawing of a cart or trolley with a box on top.
Illustration of a basketball court top view with a dashboard and controls overlay.

The result is a podium that functions simultaneously as furniture, sculpture and political symbol — a manufacturable, elegant object in which concept, symbolism and construction are fully integrated, and one that communicates equality between Maltese and European identities rather than hierarchy or assimilation.