Gzira, Malta
The City
Gzira is a small town in the central region of Malta with a population of over 13.000 people. It is heavily populated and largely comprises of built up areas and narrow streets. Given its prime location (between the capital city of Valletta and Sliema) a bustling seaside town filled with fancy restaurants, shops and nightlife — it has gained popularity for the Maltese and immigrants alike.
Gzira is also next to the University of Malta, thus making it a great location for students. Its diversity is reflected in the myriad of restaurants and ethnic shops established over the past several years. However, the accelerating urban development has led to diminishing green public space. The increasingly busy city is also struggling with high levels of air and noise pollution.
The pilot: Regeneration of a high traffic road
The pilot site is a high traffic road called Rue D’Argens. Flanked by residential and office buildings on both sides, the road sees constant traffic and has little to no greenery. Part of the site has been earmarked for potential high-rise development and consists of some of Malta’s tallest buildings, including a 18-storey apartments block. Like many roads in Malta, priority is given to parking. The local council committed to support co-design and transition management approaches for their development, promoting active citizenship, engagement and participation in the implementation of nature-based solutions. The implementation of nature-based solutions supported by VARCITIES includea the installation of a natural playscape at several primary schools, the greening of a bus stop on Rue D’Argens, the measurement of air quality in the locality and the installation of pop up parks.
The local council is committed to improve air quality through nature-based solutions, envisioning urban regeneration through greening interventions. The pilot site contributes to the improvement of air quality and reduction of noise pollution, targeting the promotion of a healthy lifestyle (physical activity, recreation, relaxation, sense of safety, psychological benefits).
Discover the Pilot!
The Visionary Solutions
Following a series of field observations to evaluate the current urban conditions of Rue D’Argens, property-owners and businesses on this street were invited to contribute to the project through micro-greening NBS interventions. Such interventions included the greening of balconies, facades and interiors of households to raise awareness about the benefits of green solutions to our H&WB. Furthermore, users of the space and local community members were consulted through focus groups to collect first hand information about the needs of the locality and inform them of possible NBS to implement greening into their properties. The data was evaluated and discussed with the local municipality to explore ways in which they can be improved.
Sensors were installed at various locations, mostly within Gzira, to collect and compare data at different geographical points to identify the various pollutants and the amount of noise and air pollution there is in the area. The locations of the installed sensors are the Gzira Gardens, Rue D’Argens and at the University of Malta as a reference point. Handheld sensors were provided to citizens interested in participating in the data collection of pollutant measurements. The latter introduced an element of civic action that gives citizens scientific means of engaging.
NBS interventions and citizen engagement activities were implemented at the St. Clare Primary School, Stella Maris School, and Gzira Gardens with the intention of embedding a greener perspective into our educational institutions and cultural context. Particular plants were selected to attract birds and insects, bringing nature closer to our urban environments and instill ecological awareness into our younger generations. A Community Garden was constructed at Stella Maris School, which will eventually become accessible to the public, contributing to their mental, physical and social wellbeing through greening interventions and integrating the concept of urban gamification of a playscape. During the redevelopment of the Gzira Gardens, a form of citizen engagement approach and possibilities of NBS was considered together with the Gzira municipality and developers to promote a co-creative attitude towards local planning and development.
VARCITIES H&WB Platform acts as a bridge connecting the tangible reality of Novo Mesto with its digital twins, offering users a seamless, user-friendly experience to access time-series environmental data through interactive dashboards and insightful 3D renders.
Explore the dynamic transformation of our Pilot site in Gżira and embark on a transformative eco-gaming experience with VARCITIES GoNature Game with full AR/VR 3-D render!
