Major renovation and restoration works of the Meridiana Wine Estate building in Ta’ Qali, entrusted to Carter Genovese Architects, have been completed. Mr Karl Chetcuti, Estate Manager at Meridiana Wine Estate, explained that, among the works carried out were a 200 m² extension of the winery, but most importantly the completion of the restoration work on the main winery building, which was built around 25 years ago.

The winery, inspired by traditional vernacular farmhouse architecture, was constructed with local limestone, which, over time, deteriorates.

Perit Claire Carter, from Carter Genovese Architects, emphasised how the extensive, delicate restoration of the winery will help the many local and foreign visitors better understand traditional local heritage in the beautiful setting brought about by the surrounding vineyard, with stunning views of Mdina in the distance.

“We took great care to maintain the classical charm of the building, while also paying very close attention to the correct use of materials and products in the restoration of the exterior stone walls and pointing,” Perit Carter said. “Though the property is not a historical one, we used non-invasive methods to clean the stone in order to maintain the patina, and hydraulic lime for pointing the stonework.”

The restoration was no small undertaking because it was necessary to respect the production processes of the winery during the works, which lasted nearly a year. The upgrades are not only sympathetic to the original architectural-specific design intent, but also aim to offer better access to persons with reduced mobility.

Though the initial geotechnical investigations revealed that the underlying terrain could not sustain the proposed structural loading, a co-ordinated approach with the general contractor, AX Construction, meant that solutions could be implemented in a relatively short time and thus resulted in a more efficient process.

Carter Genovese Architects firmly believe that renovation projects have far-reaching benefits for society. “It is our duty as architects to improve the quality of buildings and ensure that renovations and, indeed, modernising amenities are done sustainably. Our aim was also to ensure visitors to Meridiana would continue to enjoy the charm and feel of a typical Maltese farmhouse building, sitting unassumingly in its rural environment,” Perit Carter said.