Built on Sand

[2018-2025]

When I moved to Malta with my partner in 2017, I couldn't have known that the island would become our home for the next four years and also the birthplace of our daughter. At first, I thought Malta would be a small paradise: quiet, full of sunshine, surrounded by crystal-clear waters. The reality turned out to be different. What caught my attention were the cranes, bulldozers, and the endless noise of construction. I began documenting what I witnessed: new concrete structures rising where traditional limestone houses once stood. Slowly, this became a long-term study in which I drew on my background in documentary photography and economics. The goal was to capture how a small island is being reshaped under the pressure of the real estate market.

The ongoing construction boom in Malta poses a serious threat not only to the country’s cultural heritage, but also to its natural environment and residents’ quality of life. The unprecedented demand for real estate has been primarily driven by the influx of foreign companies and their associated labour force, as well as the tourism industry and growing interest in short-term rental properties. As a consequence, Malta is increasingly giving up important elements of its heritage to local and foreign speculators. They benefit from a poorly regulated property market and a government closely tied to the construction industry. New real estate developments are erasing the country’s distinctive natural landscape and overshadowing its unique architecture.