Gustave R. Vincenti – An Architectural Legacy, by David Ellul

Description

Perit Gustave R. Vincenti (1888–1974), a protagonist of the local Art Nouveau movement, excelled in progressing his designs according to mainstream architectural norms. His pioneering Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles mark the climax of his career. Ultimately his versatility led him to shift towards Modernism and experimentation with reinforced concrete, therefore bringing about a new architectural language. The 328-page volume Gustave R. Vincenti – An Architectural Legacy features extensively various buildings designed by him. These architectural projects include Vincenti Buildings in Strait Street Valletta, Palazzina Vincenti in St Julian’s, and townhouses in Sliema and Floriana. The drawings of these projects are being published for the first time.

This publication analyses Perit Vincenti’s architectural background and evolution throughout his career. Resurfaced through his extensive archival documents, Vincenti’s thoughts, concepts, and ideas are thoroughly examined, giving a contextual understanding of his approach towards design. His noteworthy projects are compiled in a spectrum of works, that illustrate his influences and adaptations according to the various contexts. Unlike other practitioners, he interwove his business affiliation with his architectural accomplishments resulting in a vision of buildings designed and built for himself. Living in an age of experimentation, Vincenti excelled his architectural boundaries through the innovative use of materials and distinctive profiles and geometry. The execution of such avant-garde buildings depicts the emergence of modern and contemporary designs that ultimately shaped most the 20th-century Maltese urban landscape.