When it comes to urban design and sustainable living, Studjurban’s founder, Antoine Zammit, is a firm believer that creating environment-friendly dwellings is not just an ideal but a tangible reality.
To demonstrate this, he took on the challenge of designing his own home in a way that proves sustainable living is achievable with the right approach.
“All it takes is goodwill and a bit of thinking outside the box,” says Antoine, who set up Studjurban 12 years ago with the primary intention of championing high-quality urban and architectural design in Malta.
Antoine describes his home as a zero-energy semi-detached dwelling that efficiently maximises its limited footprint while contributing to the streetscape as a prominent corner property.
“We incorporated glazed surfaces, skylights and dramatic portals to exploit natural light to its fullest. A six-metre-long picture window in the west-facing kitchen also captures stunning sunset views. We carefully positioned and proportioned apertures to optimise natural daylight, thus minimising unnecessary heat gains,” he explains.
A central feature of Antoine’s zero-energy approach is the innovative ‘solar chimney’, which spans three storeys. This solar chimney works by allowing air at the top to heat up through a glazed skylight, which in turn pulls cooler air from the basement level – where all the bedrooms are located – through the building, naturally cooling the semi-basement and ground-floor spaces.
“The solar chimney also doubles as a light well, providing a shaft of diffused light that reaches down to the basement level, minimising the need for artificial lighting,” adds Antoine.
This project, a testament to his iterative design philosophy and the collaborative spirit of Studjurban, was recently awarded the BIG SEE Architecture Winner Award 2024 in the Residential-Houses category.
“Receiving such prestigious awards is always gratifying. They validate our conviction that we are on the right path and serve as a source of pride for the entire team at Studjurban. However, the real satisfaction comes when our clients understand the lengths we go to in planning, so we can leave them with homes and projects that carry a legacy.”
Antoine, who is successfully heading several urban design projects in various localities and has been actively involved in drafting policies and publications aimed at improving Malta’s urban infrastructure and mobility systems, also emphasises the growing importance of sustainability in property rehabilitation.
“Sustainable rehabilitation means that as we restore, renovate, or repurpose existing buildings, we seek to prioritise environmental, social and economic sustainability,” Antoine explains.
“This approach aims to extend the life of structures while reducing the environmental impact associated with new construction. Therefore, sustainable rehabilitation involves considering energy efficiency, using eco-friendly materials, reducing waste and preserving cultural and architectural heritage.
“I see sustainable rehabilitation as an opportunity to enhance the performance of buildings while maintaining their original character and function,” he continues.
“Given the current challenges of construction and over-development, contributing to the broader goals of sustainable urban development and resource conservation is the least we can do,” Antoine concludes.