Valentino Architects’ adaptive-reuse project Stilla San Lazzru Guesthouse has been declared one of two recipients of the Prix d’Honneur in the ‘Rehabilitation and Reuse of a Building’ category at the XIX Din l-Art Ħelwa Architectural Heritage Awards, alongside Chris Briffa Architects’ Teatru Salesian. Exceptionally, the jury selected two winners this year – rather than the customary single recipient – in response to a notably high number of submissions of particularly strong quality. This nineteenth edition of the Awards was announced on the 4th December 2025 during a ceremony at Palazzo de la Salle in Valletta. The achievement marks the third consecutive year that Valentino Architects has been honoured by Din l-Art Ħelwa, following recognition for Dar il-Mitħna in 2023 and Dar San Rokku in 2024.
Din l-Art Ħelwa is a non-governmental organization which was founded in 1965, with their mission being to safeguard Malta’s cultural heritage and the natural environment for future generations, including the hands-on conservation and restoration of built and natural heritage. This year’s edition of the Awards holds special significance, coinciding with Din l-Art Ħelwa’s 60th anniversary. Held annually with the support of the Kamra tal-Periti, the Awards continue to encourage exemplary architectural practice.
As in previous years, projects were evaluated on execution quality, research depth, historical and cultural relevance, aesthetic and visual merit, and environmental considerations. Categories included ‘Regeneration of an Area’, ‘Rehabilitation and Reuse of a Building’, and ‘Restoration and/or Conservation of Buildings’. Submitted works ranged from small-scale interventions to larger complexes, with winners selected for their outstanding contribution within a Maltese context.
Other winners on the night included the MICAS project, honoured with both the Major Regeneration Project Award and the Restoration and Conservation of Buildings Award, along with the Judge Maurice Caruana Curran Award. Special commendations were awarded to Dar Tereża in the ‘Rehabilitation and Reuse of a Building’ category and the Grand Master’s Palace Regeneration project in the ‘Restoration and/or Conservation of Buildings’ category.
Situated within a narrow residential alley in Cospicua’s Urban Conservation Area, Stilla San Lazzru is the first completed guesthouse within Stilla, Malta’s pioneering albergo diffuso across the Three Cities. Conceived as a cluster of four self-contained studios, the project introduces a new hospitality typology through precise and sensitive spatial interventions woven into the existing historic fabric.
This year, the judging panel visited all submitted projects over two days at the end of October, enabling them to experience each completed intervention in full before deliberating.
Valentino Architects’ continued recognition at the Din l-Art Ħelwa Awards – now for the third consecutive year – highlights the studio’s sustained and meaningful contribution to the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings in Malta, advancing contemporary design while preserving the integrity of the islands’ built legacy.
