MIDI to transform Garden Battery into 7,000sq.m public landscaped plaza

The development permit for the final phase of the Tigne Point project, recently approved by the Planning Authority, includes the landscaping of the restored Garden Battery at Tigne Point. The landscaping will sensitively transform this 7,000sqm area into a significant landscaped plaza at the heart of Tigne Point for the enjoyment of the general public.

The Garden Battery plaza will provide fully accessible public walkways and create an attractive garden setting, with stone terraces, stepped seating, green spaces planted with native species and a water feature.

The new plaza adjoining the existing Tigne Piazza on the southern edge of the Garden Battery will form a new public meeting place with space for market stalls and community activities. The Garden Battery plaza will house a panoramic glazed lift and staircase to connect it to Pjazza Tigne and The Point Shopping Mall.

Tigné Point has been transformed over the last 20 years with residential, leisure, retail and office accommodation focused around Pjazza Tigne. The landscape realm will unlock new pedestrian links connecting Censu Xerri Street, PjazzaTigne and the Point Shopping Mall to the promenade. Designed by LOM architecture and design, the public realm project completes MIDI’s €275 million development of Tigné Point.

Last year MIDI’s restoration of the Garden Battery was recognized for its outstanding restoration works during the 14th edition of the Architectural Heritage Awards, organized by local culture and heritage NGO, Din l-Art Helwa.

Built by the British administration between 1889 and 1894, the Garden Battery was part of a line of defence for Marsamxett Harbour and Grand Harbour. It remained in use up to the early years of the 20th century, but after World War II, the defensive unit became obsolete with the battery being built over to accommodate the British Services buildings known as Tigne’ Barracks.

The Garden Battery was rediscovered by MIDI in the early 2000s, when excavation works at Tigne Point commenced. Although it was envisaged that the Garden Battery would be demolished as part of the Tigne Point development, a decision was taken to retain and preserve the battery and to incorporate the entire area into the Tigne Point development.

This decision was not without its challenges as it necessitated a redesign of the already approved plans and significant additional costs. It proved to be the right decision however and today this fortification has been integrated seamlessly with the development and will now form part of a heritage trail which will link Fort Cambridge to Fort Tigne connecting to an uninterrupted pedestrian promenade around the Tigne Point peninsula, from Qui-Si-Sana to Tigne Seafront.