The Azure Window, a stone arch in Malta, is remade in steel

Visitors who came to the Maltese archipelago before March 2017 are familiar with the limestone arch on Gozo Island. This tourist attraction once jutted out into the Mediterranean Sea and was a popular shooting location for a number of films, miniseries, and television shows, including « Clash of the Titans », « The Count of Monte Cristo », « The Odyssey », and « Game of Thrones ». However, the fragile structure collapsed into the sea due to a particularly violent storm and natural erosion.

Malta builds a new Azure Window

However, the story doesn’t stop there. The Russian architect Svetozar Andreev is designing a new arch called the « Heart of Malta » on the site of the original formation. This structure uses a steel module to recreate the shape of the stone vault. With his creation, the architect seeks to symbolize the blend between nature and modernity, history and passing time as well as the tenacity of the human spirit.

Before its collapse, the site was a favourite tourist destination. © Svetozar Andreev, 2018. All rights reserved

A memorial to the past and future

Built in five separate phases using techniques similar to those used in naval construction and housed in conference rooms, exhibition galleries, a museum, and a restaurant, the ensemble will be connected by a spiral staircase. This memorial to the country’s culture will once again become a top attraction in Malta and a romantic viewpoint for unforgettable sunsets.

This aerial view shows off the venue spaces that could be privatized for one-of-a-kind events. © Svetozar Andreev, 2018. All rights reserved