Stories of nation and space architecture and entangled identities in Malta : 1850-1939

Abstract

The latter half of the 19th century was characterised by the global forces of colonialization and liberation. During this period, the Maltese islands gained traction on a road that led to the consolidation of competing identities pertaining to the national. Along the way, architecture has played an important role in the story of how these identities unfolded. This research revisits this period of history through an exploratory research approach, by synthesizing 20th century architectural and political discourse together with an investigation on local building practices between 1850 and 1964. The study addresses questions pertaining to the role of architecture (both its production and perception) in the formation of various collective imaginings which define the competing identities of the various participants, within the Maltese context. The dissertation draws out of information sourced from local publications, archival data and photographic documentation of local sites, and then proceeds to map out possible ways in which the involvement of competing communities, languages, cultural ties, historic narratives and religious bodies became entwined with architectural practices and deposited sediments of meaning upon the local built fabric. It is argued that the definite intentions, allegiances and passions that produced these spaces were subjected to a rich and convoluted context within which they could transform and be transformed, configure and be configured by different individuals and communities, producing an architecture that speaks of the tension between competing identities that were prevalent during this period.