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PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACHES

Research in urban design is of great importance as through it we are able to understand various aspects that
make up the urban environment. It sets the stage for the design, planning and construction of “socially just
and sustainable cities” (Boano, Lamarca, & Wade, 2014, p. 26). The application of good urban design
principles enables the regeneration of the social dynamics of different communities, which in turn influence
and increase the quality of life of the inhabitants and generate social and economic growth.

In recent years, socially deprived areas labelled as ‘slums’ were being given more attention. Such informal
settlements display a lot about the social dynamics of the area and the economy of resources. They reflect
the social, economic and political situations of the country. It is important to distinguish between different
types of environments, for which urban design interventions need to be adapted to each own’s context.

Space, as defined by Lefebvre in The Production of Space, is a product of not just a single action but a complex
overlapping of various social indicators. Architects play a very important role in the production of spaces,
how they are used and who engages them. Space is a representation of the ideologies by planners, architects
and other professionals who divide the space into different categories “living beings, things, objects, works,
signs and symbols” (Lefebvre, 1974 cited by Boano, Lamarca, Wade, 2014, p. 30). The ideologies of the
professionals focus on the quantification, administration and value of the space, thereby supporting and
justifying processes adopted by the governing bodies (state and capital).

Both Foucault and Lefebvre speak about the following fundamentals to human existence:

Figure 1: The three fundamental concepts of human existence according to Foucalt and Lefebvre (Source: Author)

Foucault has been largely significant in explaining the influence of power, in the sense that it is everywhere.
It is not just a tool of intimidation by those whose position enables them to. Power is frequently perceived
as a body of negative energy, but this is not always the case. It is a major source of social discipline, to which
the society conforms to.
It is important to understand how a space is produced, the uses it acquires, how it changes over time and
adapts to the needs of the time. Urban design is not just a bi-product of development, but a fusion of the
community, the users of the space, the government amongst others, who are all involved in shaping different
spaces.

On being given the site, located at a prominent central location between the towns of Santa Venera, Qormi
and Mriehel, it was important to understand through appropriate research methods, the context of the site
and its immediate surroundings. At first glance, the site had much to be desired. Industrial and commercial
uses encircled the area along with an arterial road passing adjacent to the site. Understanding the space and
how it changed over time is very important in urban design, as it gives context to a space. This was performed
through archival research of newspapers, photographs and survey sheets, and although this was not an easy
task to perform given that the area was fairly ‘new’ when compared to previous sites, the analysis was
successful.

Figure 3: Brief historical analysis of the site and the immediate surroundings through archival research (Source: Author)

Figure 2: Opening of Santa Venera tunnels in 1992 (Source: timesofmalta.com)


Through this analysis, it was possible to map out the original uses of the site, how they transformed over
time given factors such as economy and power, and future plans for the area.

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