Art Deco Sliema house proposed for demolition

One of the last few Art Deco buildings left standing in Sliema’s Qui-Si-Sana is being proposed for demolition.

The application to drop down the house ‘Maronna’ presented by Keith Attard Portughes proposes the demolition of the building, the construction of 50 underground parking spaces, an overlying 998 sq.m of commercial space and 27 apartments and one penthouse, all built over seven floors.

The latest plans presented on 26 March foresee the retention of some of the architectural features in the existing façade.

The building together with neighbouring ‘Lavinia’ and ‘Licinia’ is of a unique type of Art Deco architecture designed by Filippo Tortell in the early 1930s.

The Italian names ‘Maronna’, ‘Licinia’ and ‘Lavinia’, are considered to reflect historical defiance to the strong British military presence in the area. Tortell also designed Villa Madama in Balzan, which shares similar architectural elements.

According to architect Edward Said, Tortell drew inspiration from American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, emulating some of the latter’s earlier motifs in his Tigné Street buildings, making them all the more significant and precious.

Din l-Art Helwa described the demolition as a shameful loss of precious cultural heritage, which should be protected and conserved for future generations.

DLH is insisting that the facades are retained and the additional floors built to emulate the existing architecture, as was successfully carried out with the Lombard Bank in Sliema. Since Qui-Si-Sana does not form part of Sliema’s Urban Conservation Area, this building lacks any protection whatsoever.

A heritage report included in the Environment Impact Assessment for a 40-storey hotel on the neighbouring Fort Cambridge barracks states that this building merits Grade 2 scheduling which would only allow internal restoration and alterations but would save these buildings from both internal and external demolition.