Over the past two decades, private house ownership has expanded exponentially throughout Europe. Over the past decade, this has intensified with the desire and ability among wealthier northern Europeans to own second homes in sunnier climes. It has not only driven up house prices in pockets of Europe, but has also impacted on the social and cultural lives of local communities in 'desirable locations', having an adverse effect on the quality of the built environment. Lino Bianco describes the situation in Malta and how, after decades of largely uncontrolled development by real-estate investors, the government is taking stock and encouraging through investment in architectural education, and property legislation, the growth of an indigenous architecture that is contextual, sensitive and energy-conscious. 76
Abstract-This paper addresses the rural and urban vernacular architecture of the Maltese archipelago, a group of islands in the centre of the Mediterranean. It has long been acknowledged that the islands boast of a long cultural legacy dating back to the Neolithic period. By means of two contemporary case studies from Gozo, the second largest island of the group, this paper illustrates contextual architectural design solutions which are inspired by vernacular language. Although both case studies are located in the village of Xewkija, one is in a rural setting whilst the other is an urban one. Thus, following a brief section which makes reference to the definition of the vernacular, the paper outlines the vernacular architecture of the islands. It concludes by making reference to the recent health and sanitary regulations which reinforce the former, vernacular insensitive, midnineteenth sanitary provisions, thus negatively impinging on the well-being of society.
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