International creative design and AV installation company, Sarner, has been instrumental in bringing 2000 years of Gozo's history to life with a visually captivating and immersive journey in an all-embracing visitor experience located within the historical walls of the island.
The island of Gozo is rich in history and natural beauty, resources which, woven in with local customs and traditions, were key factors in creating this new tourist attraction. Being greener, less densely populated and urbanised than Malta, Gozo boasts an idyllic lifestyle that draws inspiration from its unique island setting and Sarner's brief was to convert and restore the city's disused reservoirs into a visitor centre, reinforcing the historical ties that link it with Rabat and the natural landscape.
But the result is far more than that as Sarner has created an enchanting and captivating journey through several zones which puts the visitor at the centre of the journey and truly brings the story of the Cittadella to life. Michael Bennett, creative director, said, "It's like walking into a living, breathing book where each page is filled with the most wonderful and captivating illustrations that just draw you further and further into the story."
Creating nine multi-language zones within the reservoirs, Sarner has used drama to add to the tension of the story by building on the interactivity and technology within each of the zones, culminating in the dramatic 360° Cittadella Show in zone 9, set within an impressive theatrical space created by the high arches of the former water reservoir.
Project manager John Cremona from the Ministry for Gozo said that at the Centre, visitors will be able to appreciate the importance of The Cittadella throughout its long history in a cultural and historical dimension.
Ross Magri, Sarner's managing director, commented, "The Cittadella is steeped in history and, although that gave us plenty of scope when using our creativity in designing the walk through exhibition, it also put a lot of restrictions on what we could do physically."
He explains further, "It was like working on a Grade 1 listed building in the UK. There was archaeological and historic sensitivity, specifically due to the existence of water reservoirs and associated features in the area and it was essential that we preserved the integrity of any historic findings and did not cause damage to any buildings whilst highlighting the characteristics of this unique site."
From start to finish, the walk through experience is eight and a half minutes and allows up to 30 visitors through each zone at any one time with a controlled timed flow system. The Cittadella visitor centre was opened on 1 July 2016.
(Jim Evans)
