If you’ve ever driven past San Gwann, Ta’ xbiex, tarxien, and other localities where such are present, I’m sure you’ve spotted a few blocks of very particular looking houses. They look like commie blocks yet out of limestone, with identical rectangular open and colourful balconies, lower floors have small terraces many uses as spaces for gardening. I can’t really find much info on these on the internet, hence I came here.
From my understanding, a lot of these appeared in Mintoffs time and after and are social housing. Does anyone know their history? Is there anyone here who lived in these? I’m really interested about their origins and life in them so if anyone would be so kind as to talk abt it I would be very grateful due to my curiosity for Maltese history 🙏
I included some pictures of what I’m talking about.
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1r06dwk
Posted by SaltyInternet3651
8 Comments
Dunno about the history, but could really use one of those right about now with the state of rental prices.
[https://housinglandscape.mt/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Beyond-Walls_A-Long-Term-Perspective-of-Social-Housing-in-Malta.pdf](https://housinglandscape.mt/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Beyond-Walls_A-Long-Term-Perspective-of-Social-Housing-in-Malta.pdf) I had some time ago found this presentation from a conference organised by the housing authority. The presentation is made by an academic who specifically researched history of social housing in Malta.
Me personally I don’t know about the history but I damn well know they could use on of those “modernisations” like the post Soviets are doing.
San Gwann, Ta’xbiex, Tarxien, I am going to include Santa Lucija for the social housing projects, Mtarfa, and Valletta (when you enter Valletta to your immediate left – opposite Parliament building).
There is a lot written on all of these projects. Most of it is by architect Joseph M. Spiteri (who also designed Ta Qali National Park) and built in the late 1950s but all the way up to the 1980s. There was a book (pdf) online of all his works, but I currently can’t find a free version online. It still is here: [https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/90669](https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/90669) (you can request accesss). He won the MASP President’s Award for his works (posthumous) in 2020: [https://www.maspawards.com/past-editions/presidents-award-2020/](https://www.maspawards.com/past-editions/presidents-award-2020/)
Someone (Miles Glendinning) from the University of Edinburgh has also photographed a lot of it and the Malta projects are included in a book he wrote about international social housing projects called Mass Housing: Modern Architecture and State Power – a Global History
[https://datashare.ed.ac.uk/handle/10283/4285](https://datashare.ed.ac.uk/handle/10283/4285) (his Malta photos are here)
And the photos you used are by Therese Debono: [https://www.theresedebono.com/social-housing/](https://www.theresedebono.com/social-housing/) (more of them here)
Lived and own one of those type of apartments designs are excellent. efficient use of space, shafts are large allowing light to come in from all sides, all are corner apartments so all rooms have outside windows. Terrazzo/mosaic floors. Doblu on all sides, so winter is comfortable and with a good ac and aperture you can cool very efficiently. Only issue was that when they were built, contractors quality varied so you can get walls not completely straight. Common areas and fascades are now being refurbished but still the social housing element remains.
I am not Maltese, but I bought one of them and sold it. Great place where to live, 3 bedroom without losing too much space in corridors, cozy and functional, squarish layout meaning sun light everywhere. To be housing government built, really really good. Sold just for the fact I needed a 4th bedroom. Otherwise I would have stayed there forever.
Honestly they’re quite an eyesore (even the refurbished ones) and look like something out of the USSR. However, I could understand the need for social housing. The shame is that today they are no longer social housing and the people given these apartments for free have sold them for a fortune, which goes against the spirit of social housing.
https://maltaonlinebookshop.com/product/beyond-walls-social-housing-story/