Ian Ritchie is the world-renowned architect behind Ian Ritchie Architects London (IRAL). His first building, Fluy House, completed in France in 1978, exploited solar energy by designing the activity spaces to follow the movement of the sun.

This thread of innovation and sustainability has run through his entire career, winning IRAL over 150 awards since 1981 and establishing them as one of the global leaders in envelope-pushing design. Their core values rest on an ethos of serving society through ecologically sustainable, responsible and ethical projects.

We are beyond grateful to have taken IRAL on board for the rehabilitation and redevelopment of The Brewhouse, a building first inaugurated in 1950 whose historical and industrial significance for Malta cannot be denied. Here, we talk to Ian Ritchie himself about what this project is all about.

Give us a brief history of The Brewhouse.

The Brewhouse is an amazing structure. It is very significant as a post-war, late Art-Deco style building, designed by Lewis V. Farrugia with Mr. William Binnie, a Scotsman, and engineer Danes. It is quite special in a number of aspects.

This project aimed to maintain a significant portion of the building’s original features, but you also introduced a few changes. Can you tell us about some of the interesting architectural decisions made in the restoration of this building?

What is unique about The Brewhouse is its interior spatial qualities. We’ve opened up the roof to allow natural light to come down and flood the interior, as well as created geometric openings in the dividing walls inside to let the light flow throughout. From the South side, there is a warmth that will come through the retained glazed facade of The Brewhouse into the inners, which will give a quality of intimacy but also scale. So, it is epic, but intimate.

The Brewhouse is not a stand-alone project – it is connected to another project, Trident Park, which is the first development in Malta to receive BREEAM Excellence Certification.

Yes, it is. The combination of The Brewhouse with Trident Park will create a world-class center for international business as well as local business. On the qualitative side, this includes not only the architecture and the spaces within, but also the environmental ambitions for the entire development. It is leading in an age where climate is such a consideration – we’re ahead of the game.

What impact do you think The Brewhouse will have in the wider Central Business District?

Due to its integration at every level with Trident Park, it not only becomes the hub of the social infrastructure for the whole development, but also sets the tone for the rest of the Central Business District. Indeed, the ability for this unique old building to become a centrepiece in this part Malta will be fantastic.

Our aim is to attract creatives and entrepreneurs alike to share this incredible space with us. What would you say to someone who might be searching for a new office in 2021?

The significance of keeping the entire Brewhouse is that it creates a unique venue in Malta for up and coming new businesses. Anyone who looks at the inside now, sees the scale of the spaces and the dramatic way in which we’ve opened it up, will be amazed. It’ll take a fool not to want to work there.

We couldn’t agree more! Thank you for your time today Mr. Ritchie.

Thank you, always a pleasure.

For more information on The Brewhouse office leasing options, early bird offers and site visits, please contact us on tel. 9945 5694 / 9988 9307 or email info@thebrewhousemalta.com.