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A recreational 'green lung' reconnecting the historical urban cores of Senglea, Cospicua and Vittoriosa
For almost two centuries, the naval dock within Cospicua was an enclave, an industrial complex barring the community from its waterfront. Cospicua has in fact suffered considerably, both socially and environmentally, due to the presence of the shipyard at the end of its creek. The Cottonera Landscaping Project introduces a recreational green lung reconnecting the historical urban cores of Senglea, Cospicua and Vittoriosa. The public garden, moulded by turf dunes and colourful clouds of trees flowing alongside the water’s edge, will catalyse the regeneration of the dockland area into a vibrant waterfront, and the restoration of the currently abandoned dockside historic properties.
Reformatted streets and town squares, reclaimed for public activity, will interlace with the park through a pixilated pavement while retaining the dockyard’s industrial character and evocative heritage. Pedestrians are prioritised, with noise and air pollution reduced through the resultant decrease in traffic.The quays will be opened to the residents for the first time in two hundred years. The public will taste the former glorious past of the cradle of Maltese industry and the creek will once again unite rather than divide the Three Cities’ residential quarters. The garden will breathe new life into the socio-economic heart of Cospicua, completing a continuous 2.5 km promenade linking the Senglea and Vittoriosa waterfronts.
The historic Knights’ and British reservoirs will be reconditioned to store rainwater for the new fountains and irrigation, thereby ensuring a sustainable supply and the long term survival of the lush garden environment. Self-sufficiency in the provision of water is achieved through an on-site sewage treatment plant, purifying local municipal waste. Through the use of LED public lighting, the energyconsumption for the illumination of the entire 43,000 sq m site equates to that of only a few households.
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