After a three-week viewing period at the Ministry for Gozo, the submissions for the design contest for enhancing the visitor experience in the Ġgantija Heritage Park World Heritage Site will be exhibited in Valletta (Malta). The design contest included proposals for: an interpretation centre incorporating all amenities and interpretation facilities, a welcoming orientation point to the cultural resources in Xagħra, a walkway to connect the interpretation centre to the temple and landscaping works. The design contest was won by architect Robert Sant, who was selected from among 12 submissions. Alex Torpiano Martin Xuereb were awarded an honourable mention by the jury.
     In the contest's memorandum, Heritage Malta declared that the winning "The proposed construction methodology will also have minimum physical impact on the site, avoiding the necessity of any rock cutting, making the proposed intervention reversible. It presents a solution which respects the context while providing a challenging counterpoint in the transition from the urban area to the Ġgantija Temple complex.
     The total budget for the Ġgantija Heritage Park ranges around €2.5 million which also includes a study regarding the temple structure stability. This project forms part of the €9.2 million Archaeological Heritage Conservation Project, 85 per cent of which is co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The project includes works on two other sites, namely the Tarxien Temples, and St Paul's Catacombs in Rabat. The exhibition will be exhibited at Heritage Malta's head office in Merchants Street, Valletta from Monday until February 21.
     More information about the design contest and other aspects of the Archaeological Heritage Conservation Project can be viewed on www.heritagemalta.org/erdf032.

Source: Times of Malta (15 January 2010)