Within 10 years of establishing his own architecture practice, Ray DeMicoli got a job that would arguably set the course for the rest of his extraordinary career – an opportunity he describes as “tremendous”.
The job was Portomaso, Malta’s first high-rise building at the time that led to one of his boldest ideas – a marina in the heart of the development that includes the Hilton Hotel, luxury residences and the business tower, and which paved the way for further work in the decades that followed, including Tipico Tower and Quad Central.
For the founder of DeMicoli & Associates, however, the work that would come to define his career is not a chance success story but rather the result of all that he had experienced before, including defining experiences of his youth.
“What was pivotal in my teens, I believe, was the basis of the future. After completing my education at St Aloysius College, I felt like a bird. This was the 60s, a time of protest and hippies. We grew our hair huge, I had a rock band and loved to travel and explore,” says Ray. “And all the risks you take when you travel builds your self-esteem. When you come away, you’re fearless.”
He recounts another unforgettable period. For his final year project at the University of Malta, Ray presented a body of work on the reuse of Fort St Elmo in Valletta. “Imagine, some 30 years later, we got the opportunity to carry our the restoration works on this incredible site. It felt like a magical reunion!”
A taste of the international scene
During his initial years as a practicing architect, Ray worked with architecture firm Malta Consult and was entrusted with overseeing a project at their Paris office – a crucial milestone in his journey that gave him a taste of international work.
“When I returned to Malta I joined the office of architect Carmelo Falzon, who would become my father-in-law,” says Ray. “He was a fantastic architect who taught me a lot, particularly about how to handle clients and approaching everything with humanity.”
By 1985, following a period of designing interiors for hospitality projects, Ray branched out on his own and founded DeMicoli & Associates, effectively “crossing the bridge to self-employment. And once you cross that bridge, there’s no turning back.”
Defining moments and projects
With a career like his, singling out memorable projects is a tough call. From Mosta Technopark – a pioneering project from the 1990s designed to attract foreign investment to Malta – to the restoration of Fort St Elmo and House of Four Winds in Valletta – the latter repurposed to house the office of Bank of Valletta’s Chairman – every project was another stepping stone for the firm’s and the architect’s growth.
The design of his home, however, sits up there among his absolute favourites, perhaps partly because purchasing the land and completing the project was nothing short of an adventure.
“I was working on a project right next to the plot when I saw the site, full of mature trees and nature. I thought, this is paradise. The land had just been sold, but luckily, the owner’s application to build apartments was refused and it became available for us to buy,” says Ray. “It took years of work, with very little money and resources but somehow, determination gets you there.”
Portomaso is another undeniable highlight. Completed by the early 2000s, he recalls a lightbulb moment during a late night at the office to replace an existing green area with a marina that ultimately transformed the project.
“I’ve had a love for the sea, our harbours and Venice all my life, and truly believed in this idea of water skirting the building. The marina completely transformed the Portomaso project.”
After Portomaso, several large-scale projects followed. From Tipico Tower and Spinola Terraces in St Julian’s to Mriehel’s Quad Central, Ray and his team embraced every challenge with vision and optimism.
In fact, he likens the responsability of an architect to that of a conductor. “Beyond design, an architect’s role is to lead a team as a maestro conducts an orchestra, addressing several elements concurrently – design, structure, cost, environmental impact, and so on, while convincing everyone in the room to go with you.”
Throughout much of his life and career, Ray’s approach has been inspired by a famous inscription on the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto in Venice, which he encountered years ago, but still embodies today and believes younger generations of architects can learn from too.
“The inscription, written for the traders who would occupy the piazza reads ‘Keep your measures true and be faithful to your promises’,” says Ray. “That is exactly what I did when I came back to Malta from Paris, at a time when the attitude among architects and contractors locally was laissez-faire. I believe that’s still important today.”
Portrait by Jake Bellizzi / Architecture photography courtesy of DeMicoli & Associates
