Under certain conditions, these micro-cracks can heal naturally through autogenous healing. This involves the precipitation of calcium carbonate inside the crack in the presence of water. However, autogenous healing is only possible in small cracks and takes a long time to occur. Cracks may also heal through a natural microbial process involving deposition of calcium carbonate. This biological repair technique that utilises bacteria can be artificially induced, indeed it occurs naturally in the presence of certain nutrients that include a nitrogen source essential for bacterial growth and replication. The calcium carbonate (CaCO3) deposition by bacteria allows filling of cracks in concrete and plugging of pores to reduce absorption. As opposed to autogenous healing, this process occurs rapidly and can therefore seal cracks a lot quicker and avoid further damage occurring. Bio-deposition methods as opposed to conventional surface treatments and crack healing methods are alternative and eco-friendly techniques which are currently being investigated at the University of Malta. The microbial process is borrowed from nature and produces no pollution, and has no damaging effects on the natural environment. Therefore, it serves as an alternative method to conventional treatments on concrete in an effort to counteract the adverse impacts of these methods on our natural environment.The new technique provides a viable and inexpensive alternative. Different methods exist for the application of bacteria to heal micro-cracks which vary from surface treatment to encapsulation. The choice of bacteria is also crucial since these must be adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions to which the concrete is exposed.

The aim of the research was to assess the potential of using different bacterial strains for the self-healing of cracks in concrete and to study the effects of this treatment on the absorption properties of the concrete. The specific objectives of this study were to cultivate different bacterial strains and determine the types and concentration of nutrients needed to induce optimum growth, to characterise the carbonate precipitates obtained through the microbial process. Carbonate deposition on pre-cracked concrete samples was also measured combined with testing the crack healing capacity of this process.

Through these studies, it was confirmed that microbial deposition of calcium carbonate could be induced successfully on concrete. Furthermore, the characterisation of the precipitates confirmed that the crystals precipitated on these samples were Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)crystals.It was also noted that samples exposed to more than one round of microbial treatment exhibited a greater and more even coating of carbonate crystals on the surface. This proves that repeated cycles of treatment are effective in increasing the amount of CaCO3 deposition and therefore, increasing its crack healing capacity.

The jury awarded the First Prize in this Category to Christine, stating that “apart from investigating a very innovative subject which could have a practical use, the author had gone through all the stages of a well-researched study, by indicating a good grasp of the subject under study and the material properties, and by carrying out an exhaustive number of tests to confirm the validity of the proposed solution, the characterisation of the resulting precipitate, and the influence of the proposed treatment on the crack healing and absorption characteristics of mortar samples. The thoroughness of the research, the clarity of the logical sequence of laboratory tests carried out, and the explanation, in relatively simple terms, of the chemical processes involved, were also related very well during the presentation.“

Acknowledgement: ERDF (Malta) for the financing of the testing equipment through the project: ‘‘Developing an Interdisciplinary Material Testing and Rapid Prototyping R&D Facility (Ref. no. 012)’’.

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Vertical farming is a non-traditional farming method that makes use of verticality in order tomaximise land use. It also exploits the benefits of indoor conditions whereby all aspects of thegrowing procedure can be controlled such as lighting, humidity levels, temperature and waterconditions. All of these conditions mean that 24/7 farming is possible; crop cycles are reducedby half and density of crops increased per square metre, compared with traditional farming.Indoor farming also does not make use of, pesticides, soil or farm machinery. All of this meansthat produce is healthier and has a much lower carbon footprint. An average meal in westernsocieties is estimated to travel about 1,500 miles before it reaches the table. The introduction offarming in urban contexts also means that produce is closer to the place it is consumed,resulting in drastically reduced carbon mileage. This yields fresher food and minimises spoilageduring travel.

A shift in consumer culture is needed if we are to live sustainably on this planet. Societies livingin cities are cut off entirely from the source of their food, and this creates a scenario of neglectand alienation. Reintroducing agriculture into an urban context would bring people closer to thesource, and production process, of their food, thus allowing for more sustainable and informedchoices to be made on the type of food consumed and its entire life-cycle.This project aims to develop a fully functional Urban Vertical Farm, so as to introduce theconcept of the future of food production and consumption. All of this aims to build towards theoverarching concept; that of making a shift into a sustainable civilisation that is well adapted toliving within the means of the planet.

The Urban Farm aims to make use of the dead space situated above a trenched highway in themiddle of SantaVenera, by turning it into an urban growing facility capable of producing freshproduce on a commercial scale. This project takes on a completely sustainable approach tomodern agriculture by making use of technologies such as hydroponics, tailor-made grow lightsand vertical growing systems.The structure itself consists of a system of four metre deep Vierendeel girders that span over the 28m wide trench. The girders span over two storeys with each storey being fourmetres deep. The first storey contains all mechanical and pumping systems as well as facilitiesfor food packaging and distribution. The second storey houses water storage and climatecontrol systems.

Above the girders rests a diagrid system of columns which carry both vertical and lateral loads.The main building envelope is made of translucent channel-glass elements which enable amplesunlight to filter through and also allows for the structure and inner-workings of the building tobe clearly visible to the viewer, whilst ensuring an adequate amount of privacy.The roofing system is made up of transparent solar panels that rest upon a series of Warrentrusses. This enables the building to make expansive use of renewable energy provided by thesun.

The jury selected this project due to the “innovative nature of its structural design, which successfully combined form and function with interesting structural elements. Additionally, the design focused on innovative sustainable development solutions through the construction of an urban farm in a built up area and made use of an otherwise dead space above a main arterial road in an innovative manner whilst respecting the surrounding environment. The resulting structure would positively affect its surroundings which are currently blighted by the road. Sustainable design is essential in all current and future structural designs and this was integrated through the right choice of materials and a detailed structural analysis.”

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Despite being so dynamic, the semi-public space is not as clearly defined as are the private and the public (Drieënhuizen and Leferink, 2014). Many authors who referred to the semi-public space in their writings, described it by notions that do not pertain to its specific physical and social characteristics. These definitions are oftentimes formulated by means of recognisable territories which underline the notion of “what is mine and what is yours?” (Patterson, 2011, p. 2). The semi-public space is commonly defined as POSPD (Public Open Space in Private Development), forming part of privatised residential areas where access is often conditional on behaving in ways that are compliant with the owners’ purposes (Harvey, 1973). Due to this, the identity of the space remains anonymous, superficial and generalised (Drieënhuizen and Leferink, 2014). This study stresses that unless the semi-public space is understood as a physical and social entity then one cannot have the proper mindset to assess it, let alone organise and plan it. Thus, the primary intent of this study was to investigate existing theoretical indicators that suggest how human behaviour is affected by the space’s physical features in order to formulate a framework by which semi-public spaces can be understood and assessed.

Existing in such a fragile position between two distinctive realms, the semi-public space demands not only a tool to help organise it but also a model by which the manner people negotiate their interests within it, can be understood. The study suggests an alternative understanding to Oscar Newman’s ‘Defensible Space Theory’ by which planners concentrate on categorising the recognisable territories extending beyond the privacy of the building. This traditional model labelled the semi-public space as a defensible territorial space which enabled the residents only to assume responsibility of the space and in the process, exclude any undesirables from it. This led to the emergence of gates and solid blank walls which mark the borderline between the private and public realms, making spaces that occupy the zone of public-private interaction abrupt and uncivil (Ford, 2000). This study calls for a new approach which entails examining how people understand space themselves, “relating to collective identity and public life” (Patterson, 2011, p. 2). Thus, the secondary intent is to suggest a discipline that is based on the negotiability between different users of the space, rather than extreme defensibility.

Such examination shed light on the opportunity to evaluate alternative semi-public spaces that can help support public open spaces in the local context (Pomeroy, 2012). Valletta, the European Capital of Culture for 2018, aims to integrate all the communities within socially fragmented neighbourhoods and to generate spaces that soften the urban fabric and spur community life. However, there are some pressing issues. The City has become a controlled landscape dominated by retail activity, especially the central area which continues to increase the thunderstorm between the current coming from the south and the current coming from the north. Semi-public spaces adjoining residential buildings have the potential to become an imperative step in contribution to the existing infrastructure which would extend over to the doorstep of the local communities and catch up more residential areas in Valletta, not just the central zones (Grima, Interview).

The study involved the formulation of an analytical framework, consisting of theoretical principles that were necessary for conducting the study on four selected semi-public spaces in Valletta. By employing a methodology that combines direct field observations and interviews, the two main research objectives could be explored. A number of tools were used to distil the physical properties of each site, enable the categorisation of the observed behavioural patterns and investigate the physical-behavioural relationship. The findings provided valuable additions to existing theories through a refinement of the analytical framework. In addition, the research revealed new indicators which contribute to the formulation of a framework specific to the semi-public space. The interviews introduced additional intangible aspects related to the residents’ opinion of the space and emerged new prospects regarding the contribution of this research to the vision of Valletta including the residents’ fear of displacement which escalates with the rapid renewal of the city, community conflicts generated by aggressive appropriation of the space and the lack of aspiration to personalise community shared spaces.

This dissertation attracted the jury’s attention for its“comprehensive efforts at drawing from the real life experiences of the city’s residents and interpreting these in the context of the private and public architectural settings within which their lives are conducted. Since each dissertation which follows an established rigorous research methodology contributes substantially towards the enhancement of the lives of successive generations, the jury commends and encourages further scientific research into the effect and influence of local private and public spaces on the lives of citizens.”

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The notion of exploring space through territory brings a fluidity to the research: the outlook fostered is not limited to the physical demarcations of our buildings and infrastructures – but is projected towards the observable interactions and interrelations born within that environment. The static architectural plan is exceeded by the desire to read the site as one experiences it: as the pedestrian drowned in the noise and drift of passing traffic, as the office worker lunching in alleys wedged between rooftops, as the hospital grounds bathing in sea breezes and distant laughter of playing school children. Territory introduces another dimension to the architectural lens: the space becomes readable through its events: past, present, and those to be potentially unfolded.

As explored through territory the Pieta peninsula delivers a site once uncategorised by function: the hills of days gone by once rolled into the seas; today, they are overcome by a situation of multiple contesting spaces and programs. On a rather small footprint we encounter a hospital, a school, office blocks and residences, heavy vehicular roads, seafront promenades and a marina. There is little room for transgression, and everyone and everything operates within their little parcels of defined boundaries. Within this condition, the events and fragments of public domain within the site are restricted to a territorialisation which is difficult to escape. We witness a use of space – strongly categorised by function – as opposed to an appropriation of it. The thesis therefore puts a design process to the test, seeking to understand the effects of exceeding such territories – of deterritorialising – and works towards catalysing a reterritorialisation.

Territories bleed, fold and reassemble across the site. Boundaries are traversed, opening up to new affordances of space and program. Past and present decode to project the potential urban quality of the site – a reterritorialisation is born, and the story unravels.

Applied across a variety of scales, the experimentation forms a new landscape through a series of studied architectonics. The mechanics of the thesis weave through the site: puncturing, shifting, reconnecting and multiplying – as opposed to wiping it clean to make way for development. Surgical design moves are studied in terms of their effects, and the potential collision of worlds and perspectives across the site becomes tangible.

A pedestrian platform projects across the road, reconnecting the site to the sea. Boundaries liquefy and territories across the site open to varying degrees of appropriation. Program and function become multiple. The public domain is not demarcated: it traverses – across school grounds and a library; gardens spill over from residences; cafés, studios and terraces puncture office blocks; people walk down onto the sea.

Buildings, programs and typologies as we know them are dissolved: fronts of buildings are put into contest with backs, insides are interrelated with outsides. A site of categorisation is translated to a place for vibrations, exchanges and interactions. Theory is driven to practice: reterritorialisation transcends redevelopment, and with it an architecture of new meaning is born.

The jury agreed unanimously that the First Prize in this Category should go to Ella Fleri Soler. “Her narrative and rendition were fantastic, the quality of her drawings very high and the project well founded in terms of research, and design discipline but also well grounded. She is a worthy winner and we hope to see more of her work in the near future.”

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The front part of the existing house was true to the character of traditional townhouses, while the back rooms were later additions with no intrinsic value. These rooms were therefore replaced with a new extension. Having no internal courtyard/shaft the central area of the house, it was essential to introduce natural lighting. With this in mind, a glass floor was designed on first floor. This gave the possibility to introduce direct sunlight into the central part of the house in winter, while outdoor cantilevers were designed to exclude sunlight in summer. The skylight in turn gives the ground floor an open feel, creating visual connection between floors. The internal space changes with every season, with the different light pattern and the changing landscape outside. In the main bedroom an internal courtyard provides cross ventilation as well as giving another green perspective. The perforated staircase allows for more natural light to reach the ground floor spaces, with playful shaddows.

Photos: Tonio Lombardi for Homeworks magazine

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The borderline around the site and the star of the project is a beautiful rubble wall which one walks through in order to enter the property. This rubble wall ensures an ever-present tie to the vernacular surroundings. Once inside, the villa’s design continues to play with the idea of being at the borderline in between often contrasting elements. The property’s front façade is mostly solid, yet the back is predominantly open, meeting the client’s brief of providing as much openness and natural light as possible and ensuring that the living space and pool area feel as much as possible combined. Internally the ground floor space is a large open plan. The living area is strategically split from the kitchen dining areas using a split level – a gentle introduction to the stunning staircase and sculptural fireplace in the background. The materials inside and out remain a consistent palette of travertine, off shutter concretes and black accents.

Photos: MAS for Homeworks Magazine

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Photos: Sean Mallia

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The layout of the existing building, was primarily dictated by the underlying warehousing activities; in fact, the layout is rather deep for day‐lit office activities, and hence introducing daylight in the interior of the building was vital. The warehousing activities, underlying the offices, could not be interrupted, and the existing roof slab could neither be pierced (to create a pit for a new lift), nor strengthened to carry additional loads. Apart from a lift proposed external to the existing building, it was important to create an internal vertical movement, which reflected the grandeur of the original office building, staircase and boardroom, within the 1950’s Brewery building; even if in a different idiom, the challenge was to create grandeur using contemporary “industrial” materials.

The original concept developed into two flights of oval spiral steps, rising within a top‐lit atrium, designed to make the walk up as comfortable and well‐lit as possible. The space available to accommodate the staircase was defined by the spacing of the existing reinforced concrete structure. The resulting cantilevered structure generated rather high stresses in the existing structure. The staircase was thus conceived as something caught in a spider’s web, supported on the existing concrete beams and new steel beams of the extension structure. The engineering design challenge included modelling of the dynamic behaviour, the detailing of the junctions and of the fabrication process.

Photos: Sean Mallia

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