AP Valletta emerged as the popular choice in the Architecture + Stone Category of the 2025 Architizer A+Awards.
The winning project is a sensitive refurbishment and extension of an 18th-century palazzino, where contemporary design merges with traditional Maltese architecture.
The intervention – a response to the evolving urban context – saw the introduction of a fixed stone privacy screen crafted from local Maltese softstone (franka) using traditional methods.
The sculpted fins of the screen provide privacy from neighbouring developments while casting a rhythmic play of light and shadow across the façade – a contemporary gesture that echoes the historical materiality of the house.
“Having worked on historic buildings for some time, we have come to believe that the combination of a bold decision and a delicate intervention is the best formula for success in projects with heritage value,” says Konrad Buhagiar, founding partner of AP Valletta.
The 13th edition of the annual A+Awards by the global online platform for architecture received over 4,000 entries from more than 80 countries.
This year’s winners, who will be celebrated this Autumn in New York, harness material mastery, regional craft and cutting-edge ideas that reflect architecture’s global evolution from the ground up.
“Across the globe, architects are balancing universal challenges – from climate change to rapid urbanisation – with the specifics of local conditions, cultures, and communities. The winners reflect that mission in full, demonstrating how buildings can be at once globally relevant and deeply rooted in place,” says AP Valletta.
Saul Kim, Director of Saul Kim Studio and jury member of the awards, noted “This year’s winners showcase an inspiring evolution in architectural thinking – one that values precision, materiality, and craftsmanship over formal radicality.”
“These works prove that architecture’s power resides not just in bold gestures, but in their depth of thought.”
Photography: Julian Vassallo
