‘The value of a property lies not only in its investment potential but also in its beauty’ – Ray DeMicoli

With an extensive portfolio of commercial, residential and hospitality developments in Malta and beyond, DeMicoli & Associates is the award-winning architecture, engineering and interior design firm behind some of Malta’s most iconic modern landmarks. The man behind the business, Architect Ray DeMicoli, celebrates 50 years in the profession as the company marks its 40th anniversary. 

Graduating in 1975, Ray DeMicoli began his career with Malta Consult, an architectural firm in Malta, and was then offered a post at the Paris office, working on several projects alongside top European architectural and engineering firms. Upon returning to Malta, Ray joined Architect Carmelo Falzon’s practice – a move that proved providential: “I ended up marrying the boss’s daughter,” he laughs. Reflecting on his late mentor, Ray says, “he was such a lovely man and taught me so much about ways of working. But, above all, he taught me humanity.” 

One of Ray’s guiding principles is to deliver on promises. He shares that at the start of his career, following his return from Paris, he noticed that few people were punctual or delivered what they promised. He later discovered an inscription on the Church of San Giacomo di Rialto in Venice, placed there for the vendors of the market in front of it, that struck a chord. It reads: “Keep all your measures true and be faithful to your promises.” On reading it, he adds, “I thought to myself, if I simply committed to this, I’d start gaining more clients! It was a straightforward principle, but one that had the potential to transform my work and relationships.”

Providence has been a recurring theme throughout Ray’s life, from his student days in the late 1960s, travelling on a shoestring budget, to key moments in his career when luck seemed to be on his side. One such opportunity unexpectedly came through leisure when Ray won a Hi-Fly world windsurfing championship in the Philippines. There, he met a German architect who proposed partnering on a commercial centre in Iraq, for which Ray would design and produce drawings. “It was an amazing opportunity, so I set up a small office in Valletta,” Ray recalls. “But the project was cut short due to the Iran-Iraq war.” Although the project was halted, it inspired Ray to branch out independently, establishing DeMicoli & Associates in 1985. 

“At the start, I did everything myself – all the designing, calculations and site work,” Ray shares. “Over time, we hired specialised people, and I shifted to a top-level role, overseeing the bigger picture.” Seeking to diversify income streams, Ray also ventured into development, creating and renting out properties. “As the firm grew, we identified a gap in project management services, so we expanded into that too, hiring fantastic professionals,” he explains. “Since then, we’ve evolved, and the firm’s growth has been driven by the diverse opportunities that have come our way. What I’ve realised is that you don’t choose projects; they choose you.” 

Ray recalls how a long-term business relationship began when he and his family sold their late parents’ house to Tumas Fenech, Founder of Tumas Group – a stalwart of the real estate and development sector in Malta. The long and fruitful business relationship that followed saw DeMicoli & Associates involved in key hotel projects, including the Halland Hotel and Dolmen Hotel. “Our two groups grew together, as we were involved in every job they needed,” Ray reflects. 

A landmark project that heralded a new chapter for the firm was the Mosta Technopark in the early 1990s, the first of its kind in Malta, designed to attract foreign investment in the growing high-technology manufacturing sector. Ray notes that even then, the project addressed environmental concerns, aiming for energy efficiency. Another key milestone was the Middlesea offices in Floriana – the firm’s first opportunity to blend historical architectural features with modern design. 

A more personal project for Ray was designing his family home in a picturesque location in San Ġwann next to the historic Mensija Chapel. As someone who loves greenery, Ray let the existing mature trees – over 150 years old – dictate the design, ensuring that not a single one was removed while also preserving an ancient cave on the property. 

Similarly, Fort St Elmo was a project close to Ray’s heart. “That fort was always my great love. It was even the subject of my thesis, so I was thrilled to work on it,” he smiles. Another crowning achievement was designing Portomaso in the early 2000s – the concept for which was sparked much earlier in 1994. Ray recalls with enthusiasm, “we had started working on the Hilton project when, one November evening in our office in Ta’ Xbiex, I came up with the radical idea of proposing a marina at the heart of the development. And so, Portomaso was born. Alongside Architect Edward Bencini, we established BD Associates to rise to the challenge of bringing this extraordinary vision to life. Looking back, it was such a creatively bold idea to have the marina within the harbour. I’m glad the Maltese authorities had the foresight to approve it,” Ray remarks.

As the team grew stronger and more experienced with each project, Ray approached Corinthia Group, which was expanding internationally. DeMicoli & Associates has since collaborated with the Corinthia Group for over 10 years, working on hotels in places as diverse as Libya and the Czech Republic.

The firm continued to innovate at Portomaso with two award-winning projects: the Tipico Tower, designed using advanced software introduced by Ray’s son Steve DeMicoli, and the Laguna Apartments. Sharing the inspiration for this luxury residential development, where residents have direct access to a man-made lagoon from their apartment terraces, Ray recounts, “I was on a sailing holiday in Corsica with my family, and while swimming under the bridge deck of our catamaran, I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be great if people could live somewhere like this, where they can walk out of their living room and swim right underneath their home?’” To Ray, this story proves the value of a good break. “When I travel, I return refreshed and brimming with new ideas that allow me to inject some of my experiences into my projects,” he muses. 

DeMicoli & Associates’ ethos is best embodied in the Spinola Park project, which reflects a strong social and environmental conscience. “We terraced the development instead of building vertically – even though we lost rentable floor space – to respect the valley. Instead, we complemented the landscape by adding greenery. We believe that the value of a property lies not only in its investment potential but also in its beauty, which gives it intrinsic worth,” he asserts. 

Throughout the project, the team remained mindful of the local community. They paused excavation work during students’ exam season and threw a party for the whole street once the works were over. In the early design phases, the firm uncovered an existing problem among residents of Lapsi Street, who faced an uncomfortably steep and roundabout route to Spinola, sometimes causing them to miss the St Julian’s feast. In response, the team installed lifts to improve access between Lapsi Street and the church square, as well as to connect the church to the car park. These solutions enhanced traffic flow and resolved a long-standing issue for residents. 

“Since we were already doing so much work on the project, we thought, ‘why not also solve other community problems while we’re at it?’ We’re not just focused on developing a profitable property; we also take it upon ourselves to consider and serve the common good, bringing tangible benefits to the community,” Ray explains. 

This way of reasoning mirrors a deeper principle that has guided much of his work. “The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host, anticipating the needs of his guests,” he states, quoting renowned American designer Charles Eames. “This idea sums up my entire approach to design. Every project should serve its users and the community around it in ways they might not even realise they need yet.”

Ray believes these core values should steer the entire industry. Looking ahead, he predicts, “the sector will likely keep moving towards prefabrication, which offers speed and better material quality. As a country, we need to industrialise construction, working more offsite than onsite.” This is where he looks to his son, Steve. In addition to being the future of DeMicoli & Associates, Steve leads its award-winning sister studio, Matter Make, a build-tech startup pushing design and architecture boundaries by offering custom solutions through creative design and technical rigour. 

Reflecting on the past 40 years, Ray concludes, “it’s been an exciting journey and 2024 marks another successful year, but there’s still so much ahead of us. While I’ve taken a step back from hands-on work, I’m eager to keep contributing my experience and adding value to each project.”    

This article is part of the serialisation of 50 interviews featured in Malta CEOs 2025 – the sister brand to MaltaCEOs.mt and an annual high-end publication bringing together some of the country’s most influential business leaders.