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24 F ew corners of Malta ask as much of a development as the one beside St Julian's Parish Church. With Spinola Square and the village surrounding it, there was little room for error. St Julian's needed office space and parking, but fitting these into such a prominent location was another matter. Ten years later, Spinola Terraces, known until this year as Spinola Park, has become part of everyday life in the village. Offices, shops, a supermarket, the Carob Tree food court, apartments, childcare and a fitness centre share the site with a 450-space car park. On 8 October, more than 150 tenants, residents, parish and council representatives, contractors and consultants gathered at Carob Tree to celebrate its anniversary. "We wanted this place to sit comfortably beside the church and the square and give something back to St Julian's. Our BREEAM In Use certification further confirms how well the building is run, and that discipline is now part of how we work," said Mark. Spinola Terraces was designed by Danda, the architecture practice founded by Ray DeMicoli, Mark and Chris's father, who initiated the project. Chris was involved from the beginning, sitting with his father at the kitchen table when the development was still an idea. He later helped shape the master plan. e team grew to include Charles and Tony Gauci, whose experience helped bring the vision to fruition. Both sit on the board alongside Mark and Ray DeMicoli. "At the outset, we were just a small team gathered around a table with initial sketches, trying to determine what this site in St Julian's could accommodate. As the team grew, the concept expanded, yet our foundational vision remained steadfast," Chris explained. e design had to address residents' concerns about scale, traffic and construction disruption. Danda opted for a low, terraced profile rather than a single imposing block beside the church, with planting introducing greenery into the built-up surroundings. Public lifts connect Lapsi Street with the car park and church. "We did not get everything right the first time, and we did not pretend to. Staying close to the parish and the residents, and showing them step by step what we were building, made the difference," Chris said. Part of everyday life Chris also focused on amenities that would make the development useful beyond its offices, including the car park, Spinola Terraces opened beside St Julian's Parish Church ten years ago. Managing Director Mark DeMicoli and his brother Chris DeMicoli, who was involved from the very first idea, look back on where it all started, and running it to a standard that has to be kept up. SUMMER FLAVOURS AT THE PHOENICIA MALTA Ten Years of Spinola Terraces