Zaha Hadid Architects reveals plans for Maltese skyscraper

Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed images of a 31-storey tower, planned for Paceville on the northern coast of Malta.

Named Mercury Tower, the building would be eight storeys higher than the nearby 23-floor Portomaso Business Tower – currently the tallest building on the Mediterranean island.

The 24,500 square metre tower was designed by the late Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher, who has headed up the practice since the death of founder Hadid in 2016.

It will contain residential apartments on the lower nine floors and hotel rooms on the upper 19 storeys – with a distinctive twist separating the building’s two functions.

“Conceived as two volumes stacked vertically, the tower incorporates a realignment that expresses the different functional programmes within,” said Zaha Hadid Architects.

According to the practice the twist allows the building to integrate with the city at ground level, while giving the hotel rooms better views of the sea.

The three transitional storeys will contain the hotel’s public spaces, including its reception and an outdoor pool with sea views.

At ground level the development will incorporate the early 20th century Mercury House into its base.

The building’s facades, and its remaining original interiors, will be renovated to become the entrance space for the hotel and apartments.

Alongside the tower a piazza containing a central water feature and seating will be flanked by a four-storey building containing cafes and shops.

A further cafe pavilion, with a flowing roof and glass facades, is planned to be built alongside Mercury House.

“Creating new public spaces and amenities for the island’s residents and visitors, the design responds to Paceville’s key urban challenges by investing in its civic realm and increasing its limited housing supply,” continued the practice.

The project received planning permission in January 2018. The site, which has been derelict for 20 years, has been subject to several proposals including plans from Zaha Hadid Architects for a pair of offices and a 40-storey skyscraper.

Zaha Hadid Architects, which ranked at seven on the latest Dezeen Hot List, recently completed a 170 metre tower in Milan, and a 40-storey hotel in Macau.

Project credits:

Client: J.Portelli Projects
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Design: Zaha Hadid with Patrik Schumacher
ZHA project director: Manuela Gatto
ZHA project architects: Alberto Barba, Carolina López-Blanco, Yevgeniya Pozigun, Jakub Klaska, Gerhild Orthacker
ZHA head of interiors: Kar-Hwa Ho ZHA Project Consultant: Branko Svarcer
ZHA project team: Kutbuddin Nadiadi, Alejandro Garcia Gadea, Catherine Mccann, Evgeniya Yatsyuk, Houzhe Xu, Jung Yeon Kwak, Mark Winnington, Rachelle Spiteri, Tomasz Starczewski, Olga Yatsyuk, Yazhu Liang, Yun Zhang, Julian Lin, Sai Prateik Bhasgi, Li Jin, John Simpson, Reza Karimi, Jose Alberto Mariano, Matthew Johnston, Mattia Gambardella, Silviya Barzakova
ZHA cluster director: Charles Walker
Local architect: Annamaria Attard Montalto
Facade and glazing engineers: Werner Sobek, UK
Lighting engineers: Bartenbach
Vibration and acoustics: Arau Acustica Structure: BAC engineering consultancy group
Structure: Evolve Consulting Structural and Civil Engineers MEP engineers: ECL Consulting engineers , fire protection and life safety: Atelier Ten
Planning consultants: ERSLI Consultants Restoration consultant: Perit Marie Louise Caruana Galea
Waste consultant: Desiree Bajada
 Landscape consultants: Medisun, Malta Wind loads / pedestrian comfort: RWDI UK, UK Virtual reality studios: VRs
Geological stability / dust and vibration monitoring: Terracore
Project Management consultants: Pmanage
Operational monitor: Perit John Papagiorcopulo
 Tourism consultant: Mario Loporto
 Visualisations: VA