Wembley ice-cream factory

The Wembley ice-cream factory in Triq D'Argens, Msida, Malta was completed in 1937 by architect Antonio Grech Dimech.

Wembley ice cream factory
General information
StatusIntact
TypeFactory
Architectural styleArt Deco style
LocationMsida, Malta
AddressTriq D'Argens
Completed1937
OwnerWembley Ice Cream Factory Limited
Technical details
Floor count2
Design and construction
ArchitectAntonio Grech Dimech

It was built for industrialist Luke V. Gauci, who in 1937 introduced pasteurized and pre-packed ice-cream in Malta under the brand name of Wembleys.[1]

Edward Said described the factory as one of “the best examples of pre-war industrial architecture in Malta” due to the symmetrical façade which includes subtle features reflecting the eclectic style used in dwellings at the time. The pilasters which divide the façade are expressed in the Art Deco style, “give a sense of haute verticality to the squat two-storey building”.[2] It stands very close to the iconic Muscat Motors building and across from the demolished Mira building (excavated to be developed as Metropolis high-rise). Said had called on the PA to schedule the building and protect it from suffering the same fate.

The Wembley ice-cream factory is on the Planning Authority's waiting-list of properties awaiting a decision on scheduling.[3]

In March 2019 the Planning Authority accepted a redevelopment plan by Emil Bonello Ghio and architect Ray Demicoli into a seven-storey office block (with four underground parking levels). This was a downscaled revision of an earlier 18-floor high-rise application. The Planning Authority recommended a simpler design, with a distinct extension and no central element. The current façade will be dismantled and relocated to the centre of the new site. [4][2]

See also

References
  1. Times of Malta, Luke V. Gauci
  2. Malta Today, 27 March 2019
  3. Malta Today, 1 March 2018
  4. Times of Malta, 28 March 2019

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