News, Press Releases, Professional Conduct

PR 15/25 | Court confirms legality of KTP disciplinary procedures

In a landmark ruling delivered this morning, the First Hall of the Civil Court (Constitutional Jurisdiction), presided over by Justice Henri Mizzi, confirmed that the laws and regulations governing the Kamra tal-Periti’s disciplinary procedures, when taken as a whole, do not infringe the right to a fair hearing.

The judgment followed a request for a constitutional reference filed earlier this year by periti Roderick Camilleri and Anthony Mangion as part of their appeal against the KTP Council’s decision to suspend their warrant due to professional shortcomings related to the tragedy that led to Miriam Pace’s death in 2020.

The appeal centred on several constitutional matters, including an alleged lack of impartiality arising from the Council’s dual role in conducting preliminary investigations and making disciplinary determinations. The Court found that while this arrangement, taken in isolation, could appear to breach Article 39 of the Constitution and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the disciplinary process as a whole – particularly the unrestricted right of appeal to the Court of Appeal – provides full safeguards to periti and satisfies the requirements of a fair hearing.

The Kamra tal-Periti welcomes this judgment and looks forward to further strengthening its disciplinary and regulatory functions in the months ahead, supported by the resources allocated in the recent budget and through partnerships with various public and private entities.

The Kamra underscores the importance of effective and well-resourced professional bodies tasked with self-regulation which is free from political interference is essential to safeguard the public interest and the standing of the profession.

The Kamra was represented in these proceedings by Dr Joseph Mizzi and Dr Ylenia Busuttil of Muscat Mizzi Advocates. This decision is still subject to appeal.

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PR 14/25 | Kamra tal-Periti calls for preservation of modernist military heritage at White Rocks

The Kamra tal-Periti welcomes the Government’s recent announcement to designate the White Rocks site as a National Park, a landmark decision that will safeguard this coastal area from future development. This initiative represents a significant step toward environmental stewardship and sustainable land use.

In this regard, the Kamra strongly urges that this vision be extended to include the protection and restoration of the historic White Rocks Barracks, originally known as the Officers’ Married Quarters. Constructed in the 1960s under the War Office Works Directorate. These buildings are a rare example of modernist military and residential architecture in Malta. Designed by leading Maltese and British architects, the complex was celebrated internationally, featuring twice in international magazine The Architectural Review (1965 and 1969) for its “simple dignity” and harmonious integration with the landscape.

The ‘tower-in-park’ design adopted at the White Rocks is a modernist concept, championed by Le Corbusier. Across the European continent, in cities like Berlin, Amsterdam, London, modernist housing estates embraced this concept which placed multi-unit blocks within landscaped areas. This urban design principle of the last century is a direct product of the experimentation and advances of the architecture and technological industries at the time, and it should be protected both as built heritage, as well as cultural landscape

The Kamra tal-Periti supports the Government’s designation of White Rocks as a National Park but insists that the conservation of this complex cannot be a success if either the built or the natural fabric is excluded. Therefore, the Kamra advocates for a wholistic approach towards the area, inclusive of full protection and restoration of the original 1960s barracks. White Rocks is an opportunity for a unique cultural landscape on the islands, and the Kamra trusts that adaptive reuse strategies, serving a cultural and educational purposes, are employed.

The Kamra recommends that:

The White Rocks complex is afforded statutory protection under both the Development Planning Act and the Cultural Heritage Act, and
That the regeneration project of the area is undertaken through an architectural design competition.

A Brief Historical Timeline

1960s – Built as Officers’ Married Quarters for British military personnel, showcasing modernist design principles.

1979 – British forces withdraw; site handed over to Maltese authorities.

1980s–1995 – Converted into a holiday complex serving language students.

1995 onwards – Site abandoned; multiple redevelopment proposals fail.

2025 – Government announces designation as a National Park.

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Images from wikimedia.org

11/11/2025/by Fabio Scicluna

International, News, Press Releases

PR 13/25 | European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards 2026 (EUmies Awards)

Following a formal request for nominations from The European Commission and Fundació Mies van der Rohe earlier this year, 410 nominees for the prestigious EUmies award, 2026 were announced last week. Six of the nominees are Maltese projects;

Malta International Airport VIP Terminal (Luqa), by Valentino Architects (Hospitality Design Award winner, Premju Galizia 2025)
BOTHOUSE (San Ġwann), by SON Architecture (Design Excellence Award winner, Premju Galizia 2024)
Casa Ursula (Valletta), by Open Work Studio (Interior Architecture Award winner, Premju Galizia 2024)
Twentyfour (Rabat), by 3dmarchitecture (Interior Architecture Special Commendation, Premju Galizia 2024)
Casa Gourgion (Mdina), by MODEL CVC architecture (Heritage Preservation Award winner, Premju Galizia 2024)
Dar Tereża (Bormla), by Local Office for Architecture (Community Impact Award winner, Premju Galizia 2024)

Initiated in 1988, the Prize is awarded by the European Commission and Fundació Mies van der Rohe. It recognises excellence, innovation, and sustainability in architecture, and highlights the transformative power of design in shaping Europe’s environment and society. All the works participating in the EUmies Awards Architecture & Emerging are nominated by European independent experts, the national architecture associations and the Prize Advisory Committee. The Kamra tal-Periti, as the national association, was asked to recommend 5 projects for this award. The Kamra’s recommendations were selected from the winners of the Premju Emanuele Luigi Galizia 2024. In addition, a sixth project was nominated by the independent experts

This 19^th cycle of the Prize, with the support of the European Union’s Creative Europe Programme, brings together 410 works from 40 countries and 143 regions, reflecting the diversity, creativity, and richness of Europe’s architectural landscape. Submitted by a broad network of national architectural associations, independent experts, and the Advisory Committee, the nominations showcase the most significant built works completed between May 2023 and April 2025.

From this list, the jury will identify a shortlist of 40 outstanding projects which will be announced in January 2026, narrowing it down to seven finalists the following month. In spring 2026, jury members will visit the sites of the finalists, engaging directly with architects, clients, users, and local communities. The winners in the Architecture and Emerging Architecture categories will then be unveiled in Oulu—one of the two 2026 European Capitals of Culture—in April 2026, celebrating projects that define the future of European architecture.

The announcement of last week also revealed the jury panel for this cycle, which features Maltese architect Chris Briffa, Founder of Chris Briffa Architects, along Carl Bäckstrand (Sweden), Zaiga Gaile (Latvia), Tina Gregorič (Slovenia), Nikolaus Hirsch (Germany/Belgium), Rosa Rull (Spain) and chaired by Smiljan Radić.

The Kamra wishes the best of luck to all six local nominees in this competition.

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Press Pack

10/11/2025/by Fabio Scicluna

News, Press Releases

PR 12/25 | Prioritise Good Architectural Outcomes Rather Than Good Legal Outcomes, KTP President during Premju Galizia

During Saturday’s National Awards for the Built Environment, Premju Emanuele Luigi Galizia 2025, the President of the Kamra tal-Periti called for a prioritisation of design quality and for respect towards the role of Periti in shaping the built environment.

These remarks came at the end of the largest-scale Premju Galizia organised by the Kamra tal-Periti so far, which spanned over six days, culminating in the awards ceremony on Saturday night, with over forty nominations considered, in eight different categories. For the event, both the Executive Chairperson of the Planning Authority, Mr Johann Buttigieg and the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, Mr Kurt Farrugia were in attendance. The Planning Authority was the national partner of this event, whilst the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and JMV Vibro Steel Limited also supported the event as platinum partners.

Perit André Pizzuto spoke about this year’s theme for the awards: Legacy. This was introduced earlier by the Artistic Director for Premju Galizia, Perit Joeaby Vassallo (I+A), who asked the question, “What would Galizia do?” as this year’s point of reflection — a question that set a compass which guided the international jury in measuring how the submissions align with Galizia’s values and his enduring standard of quality. Pizzuto emphasised that legacy is both what we inherit and what we leave behind. It reflects how decisions today shape the future of Malta.

In the lead up to the President’s Award, a yearly recognition of the best submission or nomination during the night, KTP’s President underlined the challenges in the planning approval process, often undermining design integrity, leading to compromises and diminished architectural quality. This, Perit Pizzuto said, is exacerbated by clients prioritising permits over good architecture, calling for a reform in the system to prioritise design quality and foster respect towards the professions.

In light of the ongoing debate on the proposed planning reforms, Perit Pizzuto highlighted the importance of trust and dialogue, whilst expressing disappointment at the current public debate, overly focused on legal outcomes rather than achieving good architectural outcomes for the community. The KTP president mentioned the ongoing work to develop a National Architecture Policy, to which he happily acknowledged Mr Buttigieg’s earlier intervention, in which it was confirmed that Planning Authority will be moving on with this policy, in collaboration with the Kamra tal-Periti. The speech concluded with a call to ensure Malta’s future reflects thoughtful, courageous, and purposeful design, serving the greater good, as well as acknowledgement to the jury, sponsors and contributors of the event.

After the categorial awards, the KTP further recognised Ms Simone Mizzi, Perit Vincent Cassar and Valentino Architects with the Galizia Leadership Award, Lifetime Achievement Award and President’s Award, respectively. Vice President of the Kamra tal-Periti, Perit Matias Camilleri de Marco outlined how through decades of tireless service, Ms Simone Mizzi never led from a distance, and her influence extended beyond the Maltese shores. Citing personal inspiration from Malta’s archaeology and historic fabric, Perit Camilleri de Marco awarded the Galizia Leadership Award, stating that Mizzi’s work remind us that leadership in architecture and heritage is, at its heart, about stewardship.

Perit Nicholas Mallia, Honorary Secretary of the Kamra followed by highlighting decades of devotion to shaping Malta’s physical and environmental landscape of Perit Vincent Cassar. Perit Mallia presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Perit Cassar, describing him as a true gentleman, pragmatic and level-headed, never to be swayed by noise and always focused on what is fair, reasonable, and right for the profession and for Malta.

Finally, the President Award 2025 was awarded to Valentino Architects, in what Perit André Pizzuto said was a clear recommendation by the international jury, diverting from previous years where the award recognised the ‘winner of winners’ amongst all awarded designs. The jury’s recommendation was based on the high quality of the several entries in different categories by this firm which spoke to their remarkable consistency and high design ethic.

Read the full speech by KTP President