Rediffusion House to get facelift

The façade of the presently vacant and heavily dilapidated PBS building, known as Rediffusion House, in Saint Luke's road in Pieta will be finally restored after years of neglect.

An application for the demolition of the building and the construction of residential units and commercial development was withdrawn by the government in May 2008 amidst concern on the building's architectural value expressed by the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers.

The building was granted Grade 2 protection and cannot be demolished.

But subsequently the building was left in a state of disrepair. MEPA is now expected to approve the restoration of the building, which suffers from severe deterioration.

The proposed restoration will include removal of concrete around the steel reinforcement; removal of the loose flaking rust around the exposed steel and the repair of limestone masonry.

The former Rediffusion building complex in Gwardamangia is considered by the architectural community as a pioneering work in the introduction of the modern architectural movement in Malta. The late architect Carmelo Falzon, who was one of the leading architects in private practice at the time, designed the complex.

Some of the more salient features of the broadcasting building include the cantilevered winged canopy over the main entrance to the building, and the distinctive strip horizontal windows that run the full length of the façade.