Sheils Flynn's entry to this international design competition seeks to transform a massive redundant landfill into a public park for the people of Malta.
The huge Maghtab landfill is an extremely challenging site for a public park, not least because parts of the landfill will remain inhospitable for years to come. The design encourages people to reflect on the themes of recycling, healing and restoration. This phased design begins with the Ta Zwejra Community Park, where angular ridgetop terraces, viewing decks and groves of fruit trees are designed to frame panoramic views. The entrance plaza is the hub of Maghtab Park where visitors are confronted with the reality of its origin and the potential for sustainability. There is an opportunity for a gradual, thoughtful ascent up a crunching path of recycled dichroic glass and alongside a wall charting the ‘timeline of waste’. Twirling wind turbines and re-colonising habitats prompt an atmosphere of reflection and, at the summit, a spectacular skyline landscape offers views, a ‘postcard’ image and space for contemplation.
Ministry of Rural Affairs and Environment
Gifford Ltd (Engineering)
Penny Anderson Associates (Ecology - UK)
EcoServ (Ecology - Malta)
Donnelly O'Neill (Architecture)
Lorna Green (Artist)