David Felice | End of a Cycle

Architecture Project has been up and running since 1991. Where is the company today?

The evolution of AP's work ethic is the result of two decades of experiences, collaborations, mistakes, successes and risks. Each played an indelible part in the process of creating design and architecture that makes a positive contribution to the built environment.

I like to think that AP is about the generation of ideas which bring new possibilities, different answers and alternative ways of thinking. AP's design work does not exist in abstract isolation, but is frequently grounded in extensive research and in a deep understanding of place. It often includes a significant component of restoration or regeneration, and the firm has developed strong capabilities in historical and site research and in restoration theory and applied practice.

AP has built a portfolio of new build projects, approached with the same regard for the environmental, cultural and social context specific to the site, as well as the integration of contemporary technologies and materials. Our experience working within the confines of areas of historical significance has given us an understanding of the importance of contributing to the quality of the built and un-built environment immediate to the project we are working on.

What projects is Architecture Project currently involved in?

It's been an exciting year for us, with a variety of projects being delivered which have kept us busy over the past few years. In architecture, one has to accept that projects have a long lead-time and maintaining resolve is not always easy.

The next few weeks will see the completion of the new multiple passenger lift facility connecting the Valletta Waterfront with the Upper Barrakka gardens - which will also connect two past landmark AP projects: the Malta Stock Exchange and the Valletta Waterfront. We have also recently completed the Farsons Brewery in Mriehel and are associate architects to the Renzo Piano Building Workshop for the Parliament complex in Valletta.

We do insist, however, on giving importance to smaller projects for both corporate and individual clients, particularly in the residential and office development sectors, which we believe we are especially strong in. The firm has also learnt to apply its thinking and methods in other associated fields such as graphic design, branding and publishing. AP designed the new logo for Malta Enterprise, giving it a more cutting edge outlook, and is in the process of launching two books over the next few months, a result of investment in research. AP was also engaged to design installations in St. Georges Square for last week's children's festival in Valletta.

Research in energy efficiency is also a mainstay of the firm's structure, in particular looking at how buildings and public spaces can minimise dependence on non-renewable resources. The firm is currently working on a project in the Philippines for a hotel chain looking to achieve a zero carbon footprint. Located in an area that is completely natural, beautiful and unspoilt, this hotel is a perfect example where context and the reciprocal relationship between the finished work and its physical, cultural and social environment become of primary concern.

What high-profile projects does Architecture Project expect to be working on in the future?

AP's core skills extend beyond the more orthodox realm of architectural design, and the AP team is able to use a mix of local and global experts to ensure best fit. The company looks to bring together different capabilities in the areas of education, research and design.

The leadership of the organisation is built to support the continuous process of change, renewal and innovation by adopting measures that promote openness and inclusivity. The aim is to inspire the skilled team to take on challenges that will drive the business forward into new areas or to use new processes to push boundaries. AP believes the key element of building a business is attracting the right people to the company. It is a combination of experience, skill set, raw intelligence and energy.

AP has established its own high level of ethical conduct and enjoys working on projects that it feels are socially relevant. Although the company was originally set up with a primary focus on restoration or regeneration projects, it has found that the working practices learned in this niche market can be applied across a wider spectrum of activity in the architectural design sector. It has now developed in areas as far ranging as interior design and master planning, achieving recognition for this on an international platform.

What would you attribute the current development industry slowdown to and how would you describe the current situation that the development industry is facing?

We have reached the end of a cycle and things will never quite be the same again. Sometimes we are led to believe that Malta is different to anywhere else. It isn't, and it would not be unwise to take an international perspective. Buildings are an essential component of the category of products on which financial capitalism thrived.  At least, that's how things worked until the international recession. But construction alone does not create serious wealth.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) described the EU's construction industry as the 'largest industrial sector, contributing approximately 11% to GNP, with more than 25 million people directly and indirectly involved'. This is upwards of 13% of the European work force, an indication of how labour-intensive construction is, and how much effort it takes to earn money through construction. There is, or rather was, until property prices started to plunge - much more to be earned with the end result of all this effort.

In Malta we are fortunate that property values have been more stable than those in other European countries where the economy was similarly underpinned by the construction industry. We seem to be waiting for the property market to return to its continuous and high rate of growth. I do not think it will and we shall we see a much slower increase in value in the longer term. This would mean that we would have to be cleverer, more innovative, work to stricter standards and seek excellence with a new passion.

The Malta Developers Association has warned that the 12% final withholding tax is stifling property sales. What is your take?

Presumably this is because the final withholding tax will amount to more than 35% capital gains tax, as the case may be, indicating a decrease in expected profits for developers. However we would be short-sighted to think fiscal measures are the only or primary reasons for a stifled property market, as you put it. I prefer to remind ourselves of the contents of 'The Urban Challenge', the position paper published by the Kamra tal-Periti in better days for the industry, in 2007.

The scope of the paper was to present the vision of the Kamra for a more sustainable development of both the built and rural environment and it identified the need for quality in design as an essential tool for the nation's economic and social development. The Kamra also spelt the urgency of the need for a national policy for architecture, in the belief that this would stimulate public debate on what constitutes an appropriate approach to achieve quality in design for the islands. 'The Urban Challenge' also championed the creation of a National centre for the Built Environment.

Our urban environment reflects our social and economic aspirations. Our economic development is increasingly dependent on our environmental standards. Only by defining an appropriate vision for our islands and our urban areas where social, economic and environmental objectives are brought together in a harmonious manner can we achieve lasting sustainable development. This will require courageous and visionary work for strategic long-term objectives to be reached and resisting the temptation to be derailed by short-term expediency or the concerns of specific interest groups.