Birżebbuġa Waterpolo Club

- or what's left of it

The club's dilapidated state is a result of being rendered unusable following the construction of the Freeport; the regular dredging of the sea bed and the movement of large ships in the bay caused the seawater outlets of the pitch to block up, filling the pitch with debris and rendering the water unsuitable for swimming. The pitch and the club were closed and the club house demolished.

find out more about the club and its story at:  http://birzebbugawaterpolo.webs.com

Extension to the Freeport

click on the image below to see a larger version, or click on the following link to read the article online (with very heated comments from the public):
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100130/local/bbugia-extension


The extension to the Freeport is interesting for obvious reasons - because it will directly affect the site and its residents. But more interestingly it presents an opportunity for planning gain - a system whereby the developers would be required to develop a project alongside the Freeport extension that would benefit the local community(a system similar to Section 106 in London).

This project aims to give value back to the area. I am interested in finding an architectural way of saying, 'the freeport, gas plants etc etc exist and they are not going anywhere, whether we like it or not. This is the new landscape of the area - cranes, containers, etc.. and there is no hiding it - How can we face up to it, acknowledge it and make this town a better place?". It would be perfect if this were to be funded by the freeport - even if only in theory.

To quote a project friend and x-resident of Birzebbuga "in Birzebbuga (and the South in general) the citizens have suffered environmentally by Power Station on Marsaxlokk, Freeport, Gas Bottling Plants, Factories in Hal Far, Concrete Plants, Cargo Groupage bonded stores, illegal immigrant tents and very few embellishments and leisure facilities. If the Freeport were to contribute to a better life, tourism and leisure in Birzebbuga it would win many points, even politically."

The Freeport

One of the most loud and unignorable changes to the scenery of Birzebbugia is the addition of the Freeport (a transhipment hub built in 1988) - it cannot be missed: it is the part of the coast that looks man-made; grey with hard edges. Large cranes loom in the background of almost every sea view from the town. And even when not by the sea the loud banging and clanking of the containers being stacked remind one of its ever-presence, and 24-hour activity.
I have chosen a site that faces the freeport. It is the limestone coast to the left of the picture below:

Below is a view of the freeport with the site in the background at the top right hand corner:

Below is a view of the freeport from the site: