https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/63106 Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:53:47 GMT 2026-04-19T00:53:47Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145235 Title: Designing the escape : the role of architecture in nightclubs Abstract: This dissertation investigates the relationship between escapism and architecture within the context of nightclub environments. The study explores whether architectural design influences escapism and, if so, which architectural features contribute to this experience. The literature examines escapism through psychological, social and architectural lenses, providing a broad understanding of the topic. It also includes an architectural analysis of historical nightclub spaces as an intentional typology for escapism. Data was collected through one-on-one interviews with key figures in the local nightlife scene, exploring experiential perspectives on the topic. These interviews were also supported by four case studies of Maltese nightlife spaces, which were selected to provide a range of offerings available locally. The results suggest that whilst psychological and social aspects are pivotal elements, architectural design plays a key role in facilitating escapism. Although not the sole factor, effective spatial design emerges as a dynamic participant that can enhance or disrupt the phenomenon of escapism. Through entry thresholds, circulation paths, atmospheric qualities, materials and spatial zoning, the architecture of nightclub spaces plays a critical role in how users experience these environments. The study bridges a gap in the literature by linking escapism to architectural features, offering a foundation for future research into other spatial typologies. Description: M. Arch.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145235 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145234 Title: The intersection of architecture and public sentiment : a case study of the Paola Parish Church cafeteria proposal Abstract: This dissertation explored the public perceptions surrounding the commercialisation of sacred spaces, in the context of the proposed cafeteria at the Basilica of Christ the King in Paola, Malta. The research studied the controversies surrounding the secular use of spiritual sites, especially in a context where culture, heritage and religion are sensitive subjects to the local communities. Differing perceptions of sacredness, concerns regarding such proposals, and deemed appropriateness of uses were also studied. The study implemented a mixed-methods approach, combining data from a semi-structured interview (SSI) with Fr Marc with data collected from 110 random participants by means of a vox pop carried out in the immediate vicinity of the church. The data collected was thematically coded using NVivo qualitative software and emergent themes were analysed. The findings from the SSI were triangulated against those from the vox pops. Findings revealed a spectrum of responses ranging from support, conditional acceptance, to a complete resistance towards the commercialisation of sacred spaces. Most participants expressed conditional acceptance based on criteria related to appropriateness of activities, sensitivity to sacredness and placement, amongst other nuanced rationales. In conclusion, findings suggested that perceptions of sacredness are essential in shaping public perceptions regarding modifications of commercialisation in religious spaces. Clarity in communication and sensitivity to design in similar contexts help the public sway to the supporting side, usually gaining their trust in such projects. Description: M. Arch.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145234 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145232 Title: Earth, water, air, and aether : mobitecture as a ‘vessel’ for understanding adaptive architecture in our ever-evolving world Abstract: In light of accelerated urbanisation, technological advancements, climate volatility, and the transformations of home and work that have arisen post-pandemic, architecture is called to evolve beyond static typologies. It must adopt characteristics of mobility, modularity, and resilience. This dissertation, titled "Earth, Water, Air & Aether: Mobitecture as a 'Vessel' for Adaptive Architecture in Our Ever-Changing World," critically examines the concept of mobitecture as an integration of mobility and architecture into a cohesive design philosophy and spatial strategy that responds to contemporary global dynamics. Situated within a constructivist and interpretivist paradigm, the study employs a qualitative research approach, highlighted by semi-structured elite interviews with eight practitioners from diverse fields, including architecture, naval design, and spatial theory. Their insights were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic methodology, which revealed significant trends concerning mobility, identity, modularity, and ecological ethics. A thorough literature review traces the evolution of mobitecture from nomadic vernacular prototypes, such as yurts and tipis, through Archigram’s visionary mobile city concepts, the tiny house movement, and innovative portable structures, including wearable shelters and inflatable disaster relief modules. The thematic analysis identified seven global themes: Redefining Home and Identity, Modularity and Compact Living, Autonomy and Infrastructure, Ownership and Temporality, Spatial Ethics and Ecology, Legislative and Planning Constraints, and the Dynamic Interplay of Values, Aesthetics, and the Sea. The findings expose a significant gap between theoretical potential and practical implementation, emphasising the necessity for interdisciplinary prototyping, policy reform, and user-driven reconfiguration strategies. The dissertation culminates in a consolidated framework that incorporates human-centred ergonomic standards (as outlined by Neufert), closed-loop energy and water systems inspired by yacht and aerospace design, rapid deployment techniques derived from nomadic precedents, and existential-regionalist principles to direct the creation of resilient, adaptable dwellings across land, water, air, and beyond. Description: M. Arch.(Melit.) Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145232 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145229 Title: Atmospheric dimension of cinematic space : a study on spatial narrative in cinema Abstract: Over the past century, more sophisticated cinematic productions increasingly sought to use architectural space as an active element, rather than a passive backdrop. This dissertation explores how spatial narratives and atmospheres in cinema serve as visual and sensory tools that convey meaning independently of the spoken score. The study examines these tools through the lens of architectural discourse, to both address and build on, the limited available research on the subject. The study explores the notion of the body both as a mechanism through which space is experienced, as well as the very condition that dictates how space is revealed and inhabited. In cinema the relationship is affected through the spectator’s embodied gaze, objective memory, sensory projection, and mimetic response. The study reveals how architectural space in cinema can perform by visually presenting the time and place the characters inhabit, their socio-political conditions and the ideologies influencing them. Architectonic gestures are used to convey meaning and evoke symbolic associations. When combined with the right atmospheric qualities, they cultivate an emotive disposition in the film’s spectator, prompting a perceptually embodied and intersensory experience. Illuminating architectural space in cinema to be anthropomorphic in nature, proving its function to act as a character in its own right. The embodied poetics of architectural space and its ability to curate intentional narratives and meaning in film are explored through a qualitative, analytical, and phenomenological research methodology. Theoretical research is synthesised with professional insight gathered through a masterclass and open-ended interviews with film professionals. Through their synthesis, a set of analytical parameters are conceived to aid the analysis of Dune, a film by Denis Villeneuve, screened in two halves. This cinematic production, clearly demonstrates space as narratively significant, spatial atmosphere as an effective medium in cinema, and architecture as an anthropomorphic character. Ultimately, architectural cinematic space is portrayed as a tool capable of conveying identity, intent and emotional resonance through spatial narrative, symbolic associations, and atmospheric shifts which help prognosticate the narrative’s trajectory. Description: M. Arch.(Melit.) Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145229 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z