Threeplusone Apartments

Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard

THREEPLUSONE APARTMENTS

Valentino Architects

LOCATION
Balzan, Malta

AREA
989 m²

CATEGORY
Mixed Use Architecture, Apartments, Office Buildings

STRUCTURAL DESIGN
Perit Ivan Muscat

PHOTOGRAPHS
Alex Attard

YEAR
2018

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL
Dewpoint Services

Text description provided by architect.

Replacing a dilapidated single-storey dwelling sited between two of Malta’s most beloved villages, Threeplusone takes cues from it surrounding context whilst addressing contemporary living needs, prioritising light, space and functionality

Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard

The building responds stylistically to its inherited street-scape, echoing the elegance of massing, volume, and proportion of a Modernist corner house that sits across the road from its site.

Large, sliding apertures and deeply recessed terraces wrap the spartan facade at upper levels, whilst its silicato finish both supports thermal efficiency and celebrates bright Mediterranean light – recalling the tradition of bleach-white, coastal architecture.

The building’s distinct curved form works cohesively with the articulation of the street, bending subtly along its corner site. Its projecting terraces create valuable shading to lower levels and maximise the size of the living spaces inside.

Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard

At street level, the building’s perimeter is lined with trees, lending privacy to the office space tucked within the semi-basement level below.

The spacious terraces allow light to cascade into the south-facing living areas at the front of the building. Inside, the building works both to maximise usable space and achieve continuity between indoor and outdoor areas.

Living areas are pulled towards the terraces, whilst bedrooms and utility rooms fan out toward a rear, corner courtyard, drawing in natural light and facilitating ventilation.

Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard


Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard
Threeplusone Apartments
© Alex Attard


Threeplusone Apartments
Plan
Threeplusone Apartments
Plan


Threeplusone Apartments
Elevations