Renzo Piano Marries Old and New in Design for Malta's Capital

Renzo Piano has reimagined the heart of Valletta, the capital of Malta, and the work is as masterful as we've come to expect of the very busy Pritzker Prize winner. Nearing completion after six years of design and construction, Piano's Valletta City Gate, located at the entrance of the capital's old walled city, knits together restored historic buildings and new modern structures of Piano's design. Some changes are subtle: Piano narrowed both a bridge—to reflect its original 1633 design—and a monumental gate's width from approximately 100 to 25 feet. Slender steel "blades" mark where the new gate's massive limestone blocks transition to the old fortifications. These changes restored the historic passage and create a sense of transition for visitors entering the old city.

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