Townsquare mixed-use district | One Works

The Townsquare project is a large mixed-use development in the middle of the Sliema District in Malta. Located on a peninsula on the eastern side of the island within a 10 minutes ferry distance from the northern side of Valletta, One Works has been asked to re-design the public realm and retail spaces of three lower split-levels.

The Townsquare Masterplan includes retail, offices and a residential tower designed by the leading architect MXA. All three levels are directly connected to the surrounding Sliema streets placed on different altitudes, due to the specific peninsula morphology, and are intended to be used for retail purposes. One Works’ new design will provide approx. 7,500 square meters of semi-public spaces and the design of all the retail façades, as well as the renovation of ‘Villa Drago’ - a 19th” century listed historical building included in this project development.

AN ‘EASY-TO-USE’ APPROACH

An ‘easy-to-use’ approach has guided the design of the retail concept which can by defined by three main themes across the three levels: a quiet/green food court around the existing Villa Drago; a main commercial street on the intermediate level facing a wide event space to host public events all year long; and a spectacular projecting curved pathway connecting the higher retail level.

The main objective for this project is to achieve the highest urban quality, a sort of urban camouflage with the aim of establishing a seamless connection between the old city and the new development, not in the terms of an aesthetical appearance, but in terms of pedestrian flows and the quality of proportions and space.