.AT It>.~ ~{J,'i: .ff fl:(}fi~/1! J 't'f j) Hl~· ~(' I> .-. ~ JfA! _, THE SUNDAY TIMES OF mE SUNDAYTIMES'OFMA'L1A: ---ww·------JANUA:RY"l0';'2U'l9 l 7 -l:IFE&WELLBEING HISTORY

Th.e wrought-iron conservatory at Argotti Gardens,

drea Vassallo: the self- made brilliant architect

The elementary school

FABIAN MANGION

On November 7,1908, the three members of the Examining Board of Engineers and Architects, by secret ballot, recommended to the Governor Sir Harry Fane Grant that a man who had never """attended a formal course in architecture, should be granted the Warrant of Land Surveyor and Architecture without the need to sit for any examination. This action was so unusual that it promptly and predictably generated a strong Architect Andrea Vassallo PHOTO: COURTESY condemnation from the Institute of Architects. GIOVANNI BONELLO The official response was that in 1892, the the Lower Barrakka, in , which was in a The enlargement and almost total recon­ man in question had been admitted to the Insti­ thoroughly dilapidated state owing to it being struction of Stella Maris parish church, Sliema, tute of British Civil Engineers and that in 1907 exposed to various elements. Vassallo, under was also done under his direction. Several works Malta, asked him to prepare a design for the he was recognised as an architect by the Royal the supervision of architect Emmanuel Luigi in Villa Bologna, , were entrusted to him Branch Union Club in Sliema. The Neo-Gothic house in Cathedral Square, The baldacchino, erected in 1921, on the high altar of Basilica. Institute of British Architects. Galizia, was entrusted with the task of its by Lord Strickland. The house of the Little Sisters of the Poor, This man, Andrea Vassallo, was born in Luqa restoration, almost its rebuilding. He designed and oversaw the construction of , and Zammit Clapp Hospital, Gzira, on January 2, 1856. He was the son of Salvatore Vassallo's first great work was Princess Melita villas in the Early English style for Judge were built. following his instructions and r:ating the monument of Christ the King, in Flori­ In 1923, Vassallo won a contest with the design he metry, and for its indoor and outdoor sculptural Vassallo, a stone mason, and Catherine nee Sam­ Theatre, Sliema, in 1885. "A beautiful and strik­ Pasquale Mifsud and Baron Igino Depiro in designs respectively. ana. On that day, the Maltese gathered around and prepared for the dome and bell towers forSt Caje­ works, was displayed in April1919. A year later, on mut. He had three other siblings: Joseph, ing design which demonstrates the ability of Saqqaija, Rabat. The house built next to the When, on May 17, 1912, Archbishop Peter saw the figure of Christ being worshipped by Malta tan's church, Hamrun. However, it was only in 1953- May 30, 1920, the first stone of the church was laid. ordained priest on December 21, 1878; Carmel, Andrea Vassallo - indeed a perfect oeuvre," Mdina Cathedral was also built following plans Pace formed the executive committee for the (represented by an allegorical figure), a real and liv­ 55 that the dome was constructed under the direc­ Sadly, Vassallo did not live to see this project com­ ordained priest on December 18, 1886, and wrote someone in the newspaper Malta. by Vassallo. This house, built in Neo Gothic, organisation of the International Eucharistic ing witness of what had happened throughout the tion of architect Chev. Joseph D'Amato who, while pleted. Hence, this national and monumental sanc­ John, known as ll-Bennej tal-Ortografija Maltija On December 21,1887, having already demon­ seemed to somehow taint his reputation for his Congress, which was to be held in Malta in days of the congress. Vassallo was among other preparing all the working drawings and structural tuary remains a silent, living tribute to the inge­ (the Builder of Maltese Orthography). strated his abilities in architecture, he was skill in harmonising a design with the surround­ April1913, Vassallo was appoint d member! renowned Maltese artists and architects who designs, faithfully followed those made by Vassallo. niousness of its Luqa-born architect. Andrea began his career as a stone sculptor appointed Clerk of Works at the Department of ings. Indeed, this thought was more than and chairman of the subcommittee for street formed part of the committee in charge of setting The Harru-un dome, designed by Vassallo to blend Andrea Vassallo died at the Blue Sisters Hospital and spent the first 11 years of his professional Public Works. In this post, which he held for redeemed by his other works. decorations. Vassallo received wide approval up this lasting monument. in medieval elements to match the style of the (today Zammit Clapp Hospital) on January 21,1928, life in private practice. three years, he was responsible, among other on October 3, 1912, when he presented his Vassallo .turned eclecticism into a vibrant aes­ church, is one of the most beautiful domes in Malta. and his mortal remains were laid to rest at Santa _. 'l" In 1877, Vassallo prepared a design for the works, for the building of St Vincent de Paul drawings to the executive comm~ttee mem­ thetic virtue, designing in different period styles The majestic dome of St Nicholas parish church in Maria Addolorata Cemetery. statue of St Andrew, together with its pedestal, Hospital at 1-Imgieret, Luqa, and the Hamrun bers. All were astonished with his numerous with the same ease. He also designed two Art Nou­ Siggiewi, also engineered and designed by Vassallo, Understandably, Vassallo was reticent about his which still stands today in Carmel Street, Luqa. and Sliema schools. "Vassallo turned and pioneering ideas. veau houses which were built in the 1920s: the Casa leans more towards a classical style. private practice during his period in government He also undertook the sculptural ornamenta­ Moreover, he designed and set the wrought­ Among other works, he designed the tri­ Said, on the Sliema front (which has regrettably It is interesting to point out that these two domes service and he preferred to conceal his authorship tion on the said pedestal. iron conservatory at Argotti Gardens, Floriana. eclecticism into a umphal arch that was set up at the bntrance to been demolished), and Villa Rosa, in St Julian's. are both bivalve, an idea which was totally new for of certain works during this time. Therefore, it is In 1883, Fr Paul Lauron, parish priest of Flo­ It was an innovative form of ironwork for Malta. vibrant aesthetic virtue, Valletta. Moreover, the canopy raised outside On January 3, 1921, Pope Benedict XV signed the Malta in the design of domes. The shape of the outer believed there may still be some of his works yet to dana, asked Vassallo to prepare a design for the While photographs showing this ambitious task the Mall, Floriana, was utterly outstanding. Mgr decree by which Senglea's collegiate church was part was designed on the so-called catenary curve, be discovered. It was in this period that Vassallo fac;ade of the parish church. Prof. Nicholas Zam­ still exist, it is unfortunate that the structure .designing in different Heylen Thomas, Bishop of Namurf Belgium, raised to the dignity of basilica. Although time was intended to withstand much more weight than the reached his maturity, produced his major works, mit was also asked to submit a design for the itself was dismantled because the cost of its and Secretary of the Standing Cofmittee to short, given that the solemn coronation of the statue spherical shape that is the norm for Maltese domes. and was at his most prolific, so it is quite possible same purpose. Great was Vassallo's disappoint­ maintenance was deemed too high. period styles with the organise Eucharistic Congresses, remarked that of the Nativity of Our Lady (Maria Bambina) was to Vassallo was also in charge of the construction of that there might be other oeuvres designed by him. ment when the parish priest unveiled only Zam­ In June 1908, Vassallo attended, at the invita­ these embellishments were truly uftique., take place on September 4 of that same year, works the Rococo-style church dedicated to theNativity of Like many successful architects, Vassallo's output mit's design to the public. One reporter, who tion of the British Institute, the Eighth Interna­ same ease" Vassallo's prestige was furthe enhanced to erect a fixed baldacchino instead of the high altar Our Lady, known as Tal-Herba, and other was considerable, and, as one might expect, the qual­ criticised the selection, wrote: "I saw the two tional Congress of Architects in Vienna. His when, on November 17, 19131 he was decorated started immediately. works in it. ity of his desigl).s tended to vary. He was more con­ designs, I liked Prof. Zammit's, but Mr Vassallo's friends included some of the best European by Pope Pius X with the insignia t the Order It was around February when Vassallo com­ Vassallo's final work was the basilica dedicated to vincing when he was building in the Art Nouveau enchanted me." architects of his time, including Ernesto Basile, It seems that Vassallo had many British of St Gregory the Great, Civil Class, in recog­ pleted the designs for the erection of the bal­ the Assumption of Our Lady, known as Ta' Pinu, in style or in the more genial Baroque-classic style. One In 1883, when Sir Arthur Borton was Gover­ Marcello Piacentini, Thomas Simpson, Leonard patrons. Colonel Woodward entrusted him with nition of the services he had rendered during dacchino. On May 27, the main altar was disman­ Gharb, built on the Neo Lombardo-Romanesque cannot but admire Vassallo's success in his ability to nor of Malta, the Ball Memorial Restoration Stokes and Alexander Davidson. Many were the the design for a Soldiers' and Sailors' Institute. the congress. tled and works on the new canopy were initiated style, justly admired for the beauty of its lace-like interlace medieval with classical elements. He was ~d was set up to collect funds for the restora­ foreign architecture magazines who invited him General Hales Wilkie, who on January 1, 1888, Three years later, on December 30, 1917, with the first stone being laid on June 12. All was stone carving. The plan of this sanctuary, indeed among the best in his profession and deserves a tion on the monument to Sir Alexander Ball at to publish his works and writing. became Commander of the Infantry Brigade in Malta again recalled the congres~by inaugu- in place by August 26, 1921. remarkable for its accuracy in proportion and sym- secure niche in Maltese architecture.