AP Valletta’s Naxxar House was selected as a finalist at the 2025 World Architecture Festival under the Best Use of Stone Prize category and was awarded a High Commendation in the Completed Buildings – House and Villa (Rural & Coastal) category. Both honours recognise projects that surpass category expectations, celebrating exceptional material use and innovative design.

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The World Architecture Festival is one of the world’s leading architectural events, bringing together architects, designers, and industry professionals for three days of presentations, critiques, and celebrations of architectural and interior design excellence. The Festival is hosted in a different city each year, with the 2025 edition taking place in Miami from 12–14 November.

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Naxxar House is a meticulous restoration and extension of an 18th-century palazzino in the village of Naxxar. The project blends historic limestone architecture with contemporary design, maintaining the building’s heritage while introducing clarity, balance, and modern liveability.

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Led by AP Valletta partner Rosanne Asciak and founding partner Konrad Buhagiar, the project reflects the studio’s philosophy of integrating tradition with innovation. The skilled team has crafted a home that honours Maltese vernacular architecture while aligning with contemporary international design standards. The result is a residence firmly anchored in its cultural context while forward-looking in form and function.

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The interventions respond to the client’s needs while remaining sensitive to the building’s historical memory and its surrounding environment.

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Rosanne Asciak presented Naxxar House in both categories during the live judging sessions at the Festival, where each Special Prize was evaluated by a panel of three expert judges.

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Another AP Valletta initiative, the Water Fort project by the AP Future Heritage Foundation, was also shortlisted for the GROHE Water Prize. Water Fort is part of an ongoing research programme, The Myth of Abundance, launched in 2024 by the AP Future Heritage Foundation in collaboration with Ann Dingli, examining the history of water extraction and management in Malta.