Gżira Pumping Station
| Date | 2025–Ongoing |
|---|---|
| Client | Water Services Corporation |
| Value | n.a. |
| Location | Gżira, Malta |
At the heart of this project is a scheduled Grade 1 Neo-Gothic building, constructed around 130 years ago, purposely to serve as the sewage pumping station for the region, thereby establishing itself as part of Malta’s industrial and architectural heritage. The building shall be undergoing restoration together with interventions carried out to improve the operational systems used by the WSC, so that the building will retain its original utilitarian and infrastructural use.
At present, the building sits on a site which is largely underutilised, which presents an opportunity for the regeneration of the area through the creation of a public garden, within an urban environment which is densely populated and currently dominated by vehicular infrastructure. Part of the main building will be hosting the offices of the Gżira Local Council, which would serve as an anchor for the local community. Using the approach of adaptive reuse, spaces have been designed within the main building and existing ancillary structures to allow for Council or community-driven uses in conjunction with the garden.
The proposed garden, enclosed by the high walls surrounding the site on three sides, is envisioned almost as a secret garden that is revealed to the residents on their passage through the garden’s gates. It is intended as a place for play, leisure and respite from the bustle of the surrounding urban environment. Rather than having a fully curated garden, the approach drew inspiration from the biodiverse potential of the Third landscape, where nature is allowed to grow more freely, and pathways, space for play and shaded nooks are shaped by use and time
Water management, a core function of the WSC, is a core principle of the project – and the management, harvesting and reuse of rainwater is intrinsically designed into the garden. The existing concrete water tower, one of the few of its kind still standing, will be restored and its use reinstated.
The project is therefore built on two pillars – Operations and Community: balancing the operational importance of the Gżira Pumping Station within the wider infrastructural network of Malta, with the creation of a garden and public spaces for use by the local community.
More information can be accessed here.
