Comments on: The naysayers gird their loins

By: Ivan F. Attard

Ivan F. Attard — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:10:46 +0000

A very recent design of an Opera house by Renzo Piano. (presented in Athens January 2009)

http://parsifal79.blogspot.com/2009/01/renzo-piano-reveals-his-plans-for-new.html

This gives an idea of the volume needed for a properly designed modern opera house. There simply is no space for it. The stage tower on its own (excluding the volume below ground level) would be higher than Auberge de
Castille. Also, to fit that foyer, auditorium, stage tower and backstage, you would need the space between Palazzo Ferreria to St. James Cavalier.

Project Target year: 2015

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_ell_2_28/07/2008_98969

By: Ivan F. Attard

Ivan F. Attard — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:02:17 +0000

For the lazy ones : –

http://www.chrisfarrugia.net/photosynths/renzo-piano-valletta-citygate.html

By: DVella

DVella — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:35:53 +0000

Frank, whether the Royal Opera House was a monstrosity or not may be debatable. I do not like it myself and consider it to have been poorly concieved and designed with a measure of brash colonial insensitivity that was more concerned with producing a symbol of imperial grandeur in the neo-classical architectural idiom that was ‘trendy’ amongst the aristocracy in Britain at the time, rather than with producing a building that respected its context and actually performed well. You may, however, wish to see what the much lamented architectural critic Quentin Hughes had to say about it.

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:03:04 +0000

In reply to John Schembri.

Watch what others have : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pJl1wDGMr0

By: Antoine Vella

Antoine Vella — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:26:26 +0000

In reply to John II. That's funny, John II. These words are what 'Ganni Borg' alias 'Ettore Bono' said on another forum. Great minds and all that I suppose.

By: Mandy Mallia

Mandy Mallia — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:41:46 +0000

In reply to Mario De Bono.

@Nigel – Don’t be nasty. Having said that, did he make allowances for somebody’s big-headedness?

By: Frank

Frank — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:23:34 +0000

I fully agree that the opera house was a monstrosity. It had nothing to do with Malta or Valletta but with imperial illusions of grandeur. It was ponderous and heavy with no grace at all. It is quite ironic that those who today are eager to trash Piano’s plans as irrelevant and not suiting our city are the first to defend something that really was irrelevant.

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:54:43 +0000

In reply to John Schembri. And there will be the open-air (hopefully covered) theatre where one can browse through the books. Let's face it, the Floriana ditch is not an ideal place where one can send his kids alone to get their books.

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:52:26 +0000

I think this librarian has a point: “Laurence Zerafa (26 minutes ago)
The Malta Library and Information Association – MaLIA http://www.malia-malta.org/ notes with pleasure that Mr. Renzo Piano is of the opinion (ToM 22nd June) that the space beneath Parliament building should be used as Public lending Library. Such a library in a location that is so central and so readily accessible would be big plus to the public library scene in Malta. MaLIA is of the opinion the the present Floriana location of the Central public Library is far from ideal. Since OCtober 2008 MaLIA has been lobbying for a public library as part of the city gate regeneration project. Our poposals, with the considerable support we have found from the general public, were presented to the Prime Minister in March and can be read at http://www.malia-malta.org/ So we are pleased with Renzo Piano’s proposal. What we will be querying is what is now being reported since last Saturday that the indicated space beneath the proposed Parliament building at ground floor level is now being billed as Museum of political history. Will there be this Public Library that Renzo Piano would like to see? MalIA certainly hopes that it will be a Public Library.”

A location for a political museum can be found elsewhere. A much needed easily accessible public landing library is a must.

[Daphne – I am completely in agreement. Contemporary libraries are very social spaces: internet, magazines, newspapers, research, children’s areas, lectures – all bright and airy. They’re not fusty spaces at all. A political museum is not at all social – non-Maltese will have no interest in it, and as for us Maltese, if we’ve been once, we’ll never go again.]

By: matthew 2

matthew 2 — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:59:46 +0000

In reply to matthew 2. No, I really wouldn`t want a Salvador Dali painting on my living room wall and I wouldn`t hang one there if you gave me one. You doubt me? Well, give me one and we can settle this once and for all.