Design Guidelines (1)

TA’ QALI Arts & Crafts Village

DESIGN GUIDELINES

Printed on:28-Nov-2014 16:562801Doc Ref:PA00414/13153bDocStatus: Valid;

This document has been extracted from the MEPA online system.

2 | P a g e

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

1.2 OBJECTIVES

2. SITE GUIDELINES

3.1 SITE LAYOUT AND BUILDING ORIENTATION

3.2 EXTERNAL AREAS

3.3 BOUNDARY FENCING

3. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

4.1 LANDSCAPING

4.2 NATURAL LIGHT AND VENTILATION

4. BUILT FORM

5.1 BUILDING CHARACTER AND DETAIL

5.2 HEIGHT LIMITATION

5.3 MATERIAL FINISHES AND COLOUR

5.4 FENESTRATION

5.4 PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

5.5 OUTBUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES

5.5 SIGNAGE

5. CHECKLIST OF ISSUES TO CONSIDER



3 | P a g e

1. I NTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

The Ta’ Qali Arts & Crafts Village is located on a relatively flat area below the hills of Mtarfa and is approximately 110metres above mean sea level. At present, the site is occupied by a number of single storey structures and Nissen huts.

1.2 OBJECTIVES:

The Ta’ Qali design guidelines provide an easy reference manual aimed at ensuring a standard of development throughout and to contribute to the creation of a pleasant working environment and a tourist attraction. The guidelines have been prepared to guide the orderly redevelopment of the Arts & Crafts village at Ta’ Qali.

The key objectives addressed by the design guidelines are as follows:

To achieve a degree of consistency and compatibility in the built form and landscaping, whilst allowing for a certain degree of individuality and a well presented market image.

To achieve an attractive and unified development which acknowledges the goal of conserving and enhancing the environment by emphasising sustainable energy management, functional and efficient buildings and the introduction of complementary quality landscaping.

To avoid unsightly and poorly planned development and enhance and protect the investment of all owners within the Ta’Qali Arts & Crafts Village.

To give a sense of place and create an environment which is representative of the use, that of a traditional Maltese village promoting the Arts & Crafts.

To achieve greater sustainability in the built form through energy design.

2. SITE GUIDELINES

2.1 SITE LAYOUT AND BUILDING ORIENTATION

When undertaking site planning, buildings should be oriented and designed to

conserve non-renewable energy. These simple and logical design factors can



4 | P a g e

significantly reduce everyday running costs of buildings with little or no additional

building cost:

• Orientation and openings to maximise the north and south exposure; • Orientation and openings to maximise natural cross flow ventilation, eg

cooling summer breezes; • Minimise east and west facing orientation, openings and windows, or

provide adequate shading; • Well considered landscaping will provide valuable shade throughout

summer and allow for the use of the winter sun.

2.2 EXTERNAL AREAS External areas shall be designed to comply with the following:

• No open storage of goods, unserviceable vehicles or machinery shall be allowed. Open areas shall be used only for landscaping, car parking, servicing, loading and unloading, or where appropriate.

• Rubbish bin storage areas must also be screened from all road frontage. 2.3 BOUNDARY FENCING

Boundary fencing is strictly prohibited at Ta’ Qali Arts & Crafts Village. Security is to

be provided by other means without compromising the visual aesthetics and overall

character of the development.

3. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

3.1 LANDSCAPING

• All plant species must be selected and planted in accordance with the ‘Guidelines on trees, shrubs and plants for planting and landscaping in the Maltese islands’ issued by MEPA.

• Tenants are required to vegetate and maintain the full extent of their plot. • All landscaping and planting shall be undertaken by a qualified contractor.

3.2 NATURAL LIGHT AND VENTILATION

Further to the passive site layout and building orientation guidelines outlined in section

3.1 the following building design initiatives will aid the conservation of non-renewable

energy and improve employee comfort by assisting the penetration of natural light and

ventilation.



5 | P a g e

The following building treatments are optional initiatives designed to assist natural light

penetration and building ventilation. Developers will not be bound to, nor should be

limited to, the following design treatments, however they will need to demonstrate the

building’s ability to capture natural light and allow cross ventilation.

Natural light

• Roof lights

To introduce UV filtered sunlight into the centre of the building (consideration

should be given to minimising solar gain by careful selection of the translucent roof

light material).

Ventilation

• Side wall ventilation openings

To encourage cross-ventilation through the building

• Wind powered ventilation turbines

To aid the relief of hot air at high level and to encourage cooler air to enter at low

level in the building, thereby generating a ‘chimney stack effect’ for air circulation.

• Roof vents active or passive

large relief vents to further increase upward air flow in the building.



6 | P a g e

4. BUILT FORM

4.1 BUILDING CHARACTER AND DETAILING

The predominant architectural design theme is that of traditional Maltese vernacular

architecture. This further creates an environment which is fitting for its use. Buildings

must be designed to address the street, with consideration given to impression from the

street and at a point of entry. The main entrance to the building must be clearly visible in

the design.

The following principles are a guide to the development of an appropriate architectural

character and aim to achieve a good standard of building design throughout the crafts

village.

Building frontage and entry: • The front elevation must be designed to address the street, provide a

corporate image and an inviting entrance; • Building elevations on corner lots must address both street frontages with

a high standard of architectural design; • Architectural form and character must avoid large unrelieved expanses of

wall or roof, where they can be seen from the public realm; • Where more than one building is planned for a site, their design must

result in the creation of a group of integrated buildings presenting a harmonious image;

• The main entrance is to be on the front elevation or close to the front of the building, clearly visible from the street; and

• Entrance points to buildings are to be designed as focus points. • Only one garage door opening is to be allowed on the main front elevation

the design of which is to be chosen from the schedule in Annex B. • Typical elevations are attached in Annex A of this document to give

guidelines when designing each plot. • No structures will be permitted at roof level except a lift well which shall be

incorporated within the permitted building envelope and shall form an integral part of the design. A stairwell will be permitted only if the highest part of the stairwell structure above the building’s roof shall not exceed 1.5m from finished roof level. This shall be set back at least 1.8m from the façade and shall be used for maintenance only.

4.2 HEIGHT LIMITATION

To maintain compatibility and consistency, buildings will not be allowed to dominate

their surroundings by virtue of their height. It is therefore appropriate to establish a

maximum height limit for the whole area. After careful consideration, taking into



7 | P a g e

consideration the bearing capacity of the ground and its cost vis-à-vis the space

standards it was established that height limit for each plot shall be 7.0m measured from

highest road level. The individual units shall be stepped according to the typography of

the site as set out in MEPA DC 2007- Building Height on Sites with a Sloping Street

Frontage. This will also serve to contribute to creating an interesting and varied

streetscape and avoid overshadowing of the streets within the Ta’Qali Crafts Village.

4.3 MATERIALS, FINISHES AND COLOUR

The aim should be to divide up the facades into contrasting smaller areas by introducing

colours in fenestration, forms and a varied choice of apertures from the attached

schedule in Annex B.

• ‘Fuq il-fil’ stonework is to be adopted as the material for the facades. This should be done neatly using a first class finish.

• Division of the façade into top, middle and bottom elements using fascia’s around building as well

• Projecting features such as canopies, sun shading, overhanging roof etc. to create shadows on the facades.

• Developers will be able to choose from amoung the colours of Blue, Green, Red and Yellow as a colour scheme for the apertures.

• The colour scheme adopted for the apertures should be the same for all the aperture in that particular unit and if possible varied from the neighboring unit to create a varied streetscape.

4.4 FENESTRATION

Fenestration has an important role to play in the appearance and continuity of the streetscape and its response to the local context.

Consideration should therefore be given to the size and amount of window coverage in a building. Typically, there shall be a more solid wall than window opening to maintain an appropriate character for a crafts village.

Windows are to be set back in their frames rather than positioned directly flush with the building façade. This improves both the weathering and the appearance of the façade. Window reveals should be a minimum of 140mm for single skin walls and 200mm for double skin walls in all new buildings and where windows are replaced in the existing building. Mirrored or deeply coloured glazing is not permitted. Developers will be able to choose from the apertures in the schedule attached in Annex B as options for the apertures.



8 | P a g e

Any doors and windows, the lower edge of which is less than 2m above road level shall not open outwards onto a public pavement or road.

4.5 PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

All plant and equipment should be screened or remote from public areas, particularly

from the street. These shall be located within the allowable building envelope and shall

be integrated within the design of the building. At roof level above the allowable

building envelope only photovoltaic panels shall be allowed. These will be setback 2m

from the edges of the roof of the building. The exception to this may be where stacks or

duct work that are necessary for the building function are carefully considered and

become feature design elements of the building.

COMBINING FEATURES • Consider using plant and equipment as design • Varied built form expressing different forms, features materials and colours • Conceal unsightly plant such as air conditioning. These should not be located on the facades of the building which are visible from a public space/street. • Use of landscaping for screening and shading units • Expressed office form and entry

• Use of passive sustainable elements (water tanks / ventilation louvres) as design features

• Sustainable elements as design features • There shall be no service pipes, cables or wires visible on any building

façade which is visible from the street or public space. • Appropriate building signage. • All new developments shall be provided with a water cistern to store

rainwater run-off as required by Energy Performance of Building Regulations 2012 and Technical Guidance Document F.



9 | P a g e

4.6 OUTBUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES

Where there are numerous separate buildings on the site, the design of each should

be considered with the whole of site planning so that they may present as an

integrated development; where possible, future expansion and staging should be

considered so as to integrate these buildings. The use of colours, form and materials

should be complimentary and consistent.

4.7 SIGNAGE

Signs attached to buildings shall be designed to be an integral part of the building, eg

recessed in the façade, fascia or awning and incorporated as three dimensional

elements to add quality to the overall design concept.

Signage shall meet the following criteria: • Only one free standing or composite sign is permitted per plot; • All signs shall be designed as an integral part of the building fabric, and

shall be of a standard equal to and consistent with the building design and detail; • Signage painted directly to a building facade will not be permitted; • Signage options can be chosen from the schedule in Annex B;



10 | P a g e

5.0 CHECKLIST OF ISSUES TO CONSIDER

a. ENDORSEMENT BY MIP

Have the drawings been endorsed by MIP Ltd? o

b. BUILDING ORIENTATION

Has the orientation of the building been taken into consideration? o

c. BUILDING HEIGHT

Is the height limitation respected? o

d. BUILDING FORM

Are the mass and scale of the building appropriate for the location? o

Are the materials and colours appropriate? o

Does the signage form an integral part of the design? o

Are the natural lighting and ventilation adequate? o

Are the plant and equipment screened within the site? o

Are the proportions, rhythm and details of the openings compatible with the

overall design? o

e. SOLID TO VOID RATIO

Has the solid to void ratio been adhered to on all facades? o

f. LANDSCAPING

Is the landscaping integrated with the layout? o



11 | P a g e

ANNEX A



12 | P a g e



13 | P a g e



14 | P a g e

ANNEX B



15 | P a g e



Documents

Design Guidelines (1)