Description
Comino is the smallest of the three principal islands forming the Maltese Archipelago. Two different architectural projects are located on two separate bays on the northern coast of the island: San Niklaw Bay and Santa Marija Bay. On Santa Marija Bay, 19 bungalows have been defined and composed around a Community house and public restaurant. On San Niklaw Bay, a prestigious 70 room hotel will replace the existing, obsolete buildings and infrastructure. Whilst the architecture of the hotel has been defined by the visible geological layering, stratification, and tectonics of the island, that of the bungalows is inspired by the scale of the human, typical of vernacular Mediterranean coastal village architecture. The project seeks to achieve a zero net carbon footprint and to be certified LEED Platinum.
The reconstruction of the Comino Hotel is a sensitive, sustainable, and restorative project on the site of the existing Comino hotel. Working closely with the world class sustainability team at Ove Arup International, the project has the ambitious, yet achievable goal of establishing both a building and an island that is net carbon zero. The building itself aims for LEED platinum certification. The project seeks to be autonomous in its energy use as well as with its fresh and wastewater management, all paramount in such an arid and isolated environment. In conjunction with the renowned landscape Architect, Michel Desvignes Paysage, a vast restorative landscaping project will accompany the architectural redevelopment, integrating and reinstating the native garigue flora in and around the architecture as well as to restored areas of currently disturbed landscape.
Program Hotel redevelopment
Status Ongoing
Client Hili Hospitality
Built area 8 500 m²
Design Belvedere Architecture
Sustainability Ove Arup International Ltd
