SACES, the Society of Architecture and Civil Engineering Students is an organization that aims to provide a unique and comprehensive learning environment for students from the Faculty for the Built Environment. The Summer workshop, ‘Mal-Kosta’, offers students from all years an opportunity to realize concepts based on a theme. These projects allow students to come up with innovative designs, whilst being able to work on their ideas through a hands-on experience. This year’s edition called ‘Dellijiet’ was held at the White Tower in Mellieha, and by the end of the 3-day workshop four groups of students presented their completed installations.
Aurora: Inspired by the colourful phenomena of the northern lights and its sensational experience it instils through its unique perspective of lights, this structure aims to create a playful sensation using reflections and shadows. Through the use of recycled materials and light, a periscope effect is imitated, creating this intended aurora effect shadowed over the structure. The user can experience and appreciate the phenomena of light and how effective it can be even with minimal manipulation.
Allegory: An extended metaphor; a narrative mode which typically expresses abstract ideas through concrete objects. The group tackled the theme in a structural manner, by playing around with narrow wooden portal frames of different heights arranged radially. The intricate structure may be appreciated at any time of the day due to detailed shadows being cast throughout the day.
The confession booth: The confession booth is an installation which challenges the idea between the abundance of light and the abundance of shadow. Inspired from the secular confessional, the project is a contemporary re-interpretation aiming to connect two beings on opposite sides. Whilst getting to know each other on two separate planes, two users intuitively play with a perforated wall which allows for a shadow to be casted on the other side.
Ċaflis: Ċaflis, meaning ‘to dabble and splash’, is all about crafting an intimate space in a harsh environment - an interactive fragment of the sea, dancing across a suspended canvas
