Paceville is an area of the city of St. Julian's, the main center of nightlife on the island. It was formed at the beginning of the 20th century as a resort development site, and acquired its modern function closer to the 1960s. The tourism industry in Malta employs 30% of the population, in the next decade this number will grow to 40%, while the number of tourists is increasing by 10% almost every year (in 2017, 2.5 million people visited the island).
This rapid development has brought prosperity to Paceville, but it suffers from a lack of housing and quality public spaces. The new 31-story Mercury Tower with apartments and hotel rooms designed by Zaha Hadid Architects addresses both of these concerns. The nine lower floors will be occupied by housing, the higher the volume of the tower will expand and turn towards the sea - this part is intended for a hotel (19 floors). A three-story turnaround (10th to 12th) will house a spectacular hotel lobby and outdoor pool.
At the foot of the building, a square with fountains, city furniture, a cafe pavilion will be created; cafes and shops will also be provided along the perimeter. But most importantly, the facades of the 1903 Mercury House mansion that has come down to us will be restored. This monument, including the few surviving interiors, will serve as a lobby for the tower and as a venue for various events.
The area of the site is slightly less than a hectare, the total area of the project is 24,500 m2.
