A gallarija is a closed timber balcony, one of the more recognisable fixtures of Maltese architecture: solid on the outside, glazed on the inside, built to let you watch the street without being seen. This one does the opposite. Its front and bottom panels fold away, bringing the view straight into the room instead of leaving it at the window. Close them, and it reads as a traditional gallarija again.

The idea traces back to childhood, watching the winding streets of Birgu from behind the panels of a bedroom gallarija. In 2001, I moved into my first apartment in Valletta, where the existing gallarija was falling apart. Taking it out, I noticed a sliver of sea I'd never seen before, so I rebuilt the side panels in glass instead of timber. It was a small change, but it turned out well: afternoons spent in a hammock there, looking out over Marsamxett Harbour, are what stuck with me.

Years later, a client with an apartment overlooking the Grand Harbour raised the same complaint: the view only opened up if you stood right at the window. We built a 1:10 model, with bespoke hinges and timber framing, to test a working prototype. The result kept every detail of the traditional gallarija, giving it a function the original never had, and went on to pick up several design awards along the way.