A little-known fact about Townsquare is that it will include 7,500 square metres of privately-owned open space that will be fully accessible to the public 24×7 and include a variety of gardens, landscaped walkways and green features.
The design of these open spaces is being given enormous importance and underpins a commitment by Townsquare to deliver and attractive and sustainable development, which will also add new greenery to the Sliema urban landscape.
OneWorks, a Milan-based firm of Infrastructure and Urban architects, have been engaged to design the open spaces, and will be working in partnership with Paisa , a top landscaping and architectural team who have been brought on board to give life to the gardens and other landscaped areas.
Italian firm Paisa’, are award-winning Landscape Architects, led by Antonio Stignani, who specialise in land-art for inter-disciplinary shared places. The team includes landscapers, architects, agronomists, natural engineers and designers who consider environmental sustainability intrinsic to architecture in the projects it has been involved in, which include the Waterfront and “Sea Park” in Ravenna, King Abdul Aziz Road in Saudi Arabia and several urban parks including San Dona Park in Venice.
Antonio Stignani: Paisa’ Founder
Experienced Maltese landscape architect, Antoine Gatt has also been appointed as the team’s local consultant on plant selection and other landscaping matters. He has worked on many projects both locally and abroad and is considered to be an authority in Malta on green roofs and walls as well as garden design, urban planning and public open space design.
Pavilion Garden Concept
Seating Steps Concept
Pavilion Garden Concept
Environmental sustainability is a key part of their brief and will be incorporated into every possible aspect of the Townsquare project. The plans include the creation of both formal and informal gardens as well as the introduction of vertical planting to create green facades and canopies. The landscaping teams are taking inspiration from far and wide, ranging from a traditional Mediterranean garden concept, to a nature garden. In addition, the public can expect to see a restored garden around the historic Villa Drago, which is itself being meticulously restored to its former glory, as well as water features, planted “seating steps” and an art path trail.
The stunning green elements being proposed for the project are not only designed to look beautiful, but also offer a range of other positive impacts on the local environment, by reducing surface temperatures, improving air quality, acting as a natural sound proofing barrier, creating privacy for residents, and providing new habitats for birds and insects.
Green Facade Concept
These plans, which form part of Townsquare’s commitment to sustainability will also be complemented further afield, including a partnership agreement to support ‘Saġġar’, the newly launched national tree planting project – which is all about introducing literally hundreds of thousands of native genotype indigenous trees around the Maltese islands.
Such initiatives are wholly in line with both the developers’ vision for Townsquare and to Paisa’s mission, which is to create attractive and sustainable “places for people”.
