Malta: US/ICOMOS Internship

Caitlin O'Connor, Boston, Massachusetts

completed a 2004 US/ICOMOS Internship with the

Valletta Rehabilitation Project, Valletta, Malta

documenting building facades and assisting with the creation of a redevelopment
proposal for a neglected part of the historic city

Caitlin O'Conner spent her internship working with the Valletta Rehabilitation Project, which is based in the World Heritage City of Valletta, Malta. A grid-planned baroque city built largely during the period of the Knights of St. John in the 16th century, Valletta is extensively fortified by high bastion walls that surround it. Caitlin was involved in an ongoing documentation project of building facades that focused on documenting the condition, accretions, and historical importance of each building being surveyed. The information from this survey (at present, seven streets have been completed) will eventually be incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) of all streets in Valletta.

Caitlin also contributed to a redevelopment proposal for a Il Biccerija, a dilapidated area of the city that was once a slaughterhouse. Situated in the Jews Sally Port neighborhood, this area is particularly problematic because of its low-lying location (the lowest elevation in Valletta) which is subject to extensive water run-off from the rest of the city. Starting with a review of the redevelopment guidelines authored by Renzo Piano in 1989, she helped build a case for redevelopment by making site visits in order to discuss existing conditions and potential for the area which led to a concrete proposal containing two case studies of arts-based redevelopment that has been suggested for Il Biccerija.

"The US/ICOMOS experience has been invaluable. Apart from the fieldwork that I was involved with, I also worked closely with another urban planning intern from France. Our cultural exchange and shared perspectives on urban planning in heritage cities has given me a broader sense of possibilities and a more extensive urban planning acumen."

Caitlin O'Connor
2004 US/ICOMOS
Intern to Malta

The US/ICOMOS International Intern Exchange Program is funded by a variety sources. Each of the host organizations in the U.S. contribute funds that cover a substantial portion of the costs for interns from overseas. Grants from private foundations and individual donors support the internships for U.S. preservationists traveling overseas, with additional support from some of the overseas host organizations. The 2004 overseas internships were supported by the Dorothy-Ann Foundation, Marpat Foundation, Keepers Fund for Historic Preservation, Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Trust for Mutual Understanding, and contributions from numerous individuals.