Nekuni Centre. An act of humanitarian architecture in Morocco's High Atlas mountains. by Giulia Rondinini

NEKUNÍ CENTRE

AN ACT OF HUMANITARIAN ARCHITECTURE IN MOROCCO’S HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS

NEKUNÍ CENTRE AN ACT OF HUMANITARIAN ARCHITECTURE IN MOROCCO’S HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS

A THESIS BY: MIRIAM CONTI & GIULIA RONDININI

SUPERVISOR: PROF. MICHELE BECCU CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF. ADOLFO F. L. BARATTA

MASTER’S DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TRE A.Y. 2018/2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

01. MOROCCO LOCATION PLAN

DEMOGRAPHICS

POLITICAL HISTORY

02. TESSAOUT VALLEY THE IMAZIGHEN

LOCATION PLAN

SETTLEMENT SYSTEM

PUBLIC SERVICE

WOMEN’S CONDITION

ACCIÓN GEODA

03. MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT PILOT PROJECT

LOCATION PLAN

SECTIONS

LANDSCAPES

HOUSING TYPOLOGIES

FORTIFIED GRANARIES

GRANARY’S ELEVATION

04. NEKUNÍ CENTRE FUNCTIONAL PROGRAM

ISOMETRIC VIEW

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

PLANS

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

EAST ELEVATION

SECTIONS

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

CONSTRUCTION DETAIL

MODEL

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

The belief that architecture can be a catalyst to achieve positive change in a community has been the driving force of this thesis. The Nekuní Centre fits into a wider context of humanitarian aid provided to the inhabitants of Morocco’s Tessaout Valley by the non-governmental organization Acción Geoda. Taking part in the NGO’s 2018 solidary trip gave us a chance to better understand the valley’s rural reality. First and foremost, we focused on the living conditions of local communities and we witnessed their state of isolation and abandonment, which helped us define the guidelines of a project truly centered on people’s needs. The villages’ vernacular architecture and the inhabitants‘ strong cultural identity inspired a earth design that includes spaces for education, women’s empowerment and social cohesion. With the aim to promote a process of self-sustainable local development, the Nekuní Centre hopes to raise awareness of architecture’s social responsibility.

LOCATION PLAN | MOROCCO

The Tessaout Valley is located in middle of the High Atlas, Morocco’s largest and highest mountain range. Running diagonally across the country for almost 1000 km, the High Altas Mountains protect the fertile northern lands from the desert heat coming from south-east. The High Atlas valleys are home to traditional villages that reflect and preserve Morocco’s most ancient cultural heritage. Rabat Constitutional monarchy GOVERNMENT Mohamed VI KING Arabic, Tamazight OFFICIAL LANGUAGES 446 550 km2 AREA CAPITAL

POPULATION DENSITY

34,3 millions 74 inhabitants/km2

Dakhla

SPAIN

Tangeri

Oujida Salé

Rabat

396 km

Fès

479 km

Meknès

Casablanca 313 km

Béni Mellal Safi Errachidia

Marrakech 169 km

Tessaout Valley

Essaouira

Ouarzazate Agadir

100 km

MOROCCO

Guelmim ALGERIA

Laâyoune

WESTERN SAHARA

MAURITANIA MALI

DEMOGRAPHICS | MOROCCO

1 4

5 7 Tamazight speaking territories

9 10

MOROCCO’S REGIONS:

Tangeri-Tetouan 1. Regione Orientali 2. Fès-Meknès 3. Rabat-Salé-Kenitra 4. Béni Mellal-Khenifra 5. Casablanca-Settat 6. Marrakech-Safi 7. Drâa-Tafilalet 8. Souss-Massa 9. Guelmim-Oued Noun 10. Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra 11. Dakhla-Oued Ed Dahab 12.

BÉNI MELLAL-KHENIFRA’S PROVINCES:

a. b. c. d. c.

Béni-Mellal Azilal Fkih Ben Salah Khouribga Khenifra

e d

Region: Béni Mellal-Khenifra Province: Azilal Tessaout Valley

LANGUAGES

91% Arabo

43% Tamazight Tarifit Tashelhit

63% Francese

RELIGIONS

1% others 99% Sunni Islam

Source: Euromonitor International, CIA World Factbook, 2018

Small minorities aside, Morocco’s ethnic structure consists predominantly of Arabs and Imazighen (plural of Amazigh), commonly known as Berbers. The Imazighen are the indigenous people of North Africa and their history goes back to prehistoric times. When the Arab conquest started in the seventh century, the pre-existing Amazigh society was deeply affected: Islam turned into the dominant religion and the Arabic language gradually spread from the coastline to the mountains’ western slopes, where the population has become bilingual. Those who live in Morocco‘s most rural areas remain strongly attached to the indigenous languages. Tamazight is the main dialect, followed by Tarifit and Tashlhit, and it’s widely spoken in the High and Middle Altlas territories. The inhabitants of the Tessaout Valley, located in the southern tip of the Béni Mellal-Khenifra region, speak Tamazight as their first language. The majority of them are Muslims but don’t know how to read or write in Arabic.

POLITICAL HISTORY | MOROCCO

Morocco's strategic location has shaped its history. Beginning with the Phoenicians, many foreigners were drawn to this area: Romans, Visigoths and Greeks successively ruled over the region until the Arab forces began their conquest in the seventh century. Morocco’s most recent history is marked by 44 years of European imperialism. The French Protectorate has left a massive impact on the country’s culture, economics and educational system. After the Treaty of Fez (1912), the new administration built European schools, where colonies and rich Moroccans could send their children. Amazigh students were kept separate from Arab students by establishing two distinct types of public institutions. This deeply segregated school system emphasised the economical and ethnic differences among Moroccans, excluding any possibility of social rise.

In Morocco’s post-independence years, Arabization policies, that included naming Arabic the official language of the state, have left Imazighen on the edge of society and kept denying them educational and employment opportunities. Under the rule of King Hassan II, Imazighen often suffered violent episodes of political repression but they never stopped fighting in defense of their indigenous culture and language heritage. After decades of institutional discrimination, the Amazigh community captured a historic achievement in 2011 when the constitutional reform promulgated by King Mohammed VI recognised Tamazight as Morocco’s official language next to Arabic. Despite the lack of clear mechanisms for practical application, the new constitutional measure rapresents an important step in the fight against the marginalization of Imazighen.

The Treaty of Fez establishes the French Protectorate in Morocco, whose first Resident-General is Hubert Lyautey. French Morocco does not include the mediterranean Rif region and the southern part of the country, today’s Western Sahara, both under Spanish domination.

The 5-year-long Rif Amazigh rebellion, led by Abd el-Krim and his brother Mhemmed, is ultimately repressed by the joint forces of Spain and France.

1926

The Arab nationalist movement’s revival leads to the foundation of the Istiqlal Independence Party.

‫لالقتسإلا بزح‬

1912

Pro-monarchy and conservative, the Istiqlal Party will be the key player in the fight for independence.

1943

Proclamation of Independence Mohammed V, returned from exile, assumes the title of king of Morocco.

1956

1961

Hasan II comes to the throne.

1962

The Costitution of Morocco confers broad powers on King Hasan II.

350.000 civilians and 25.000 soldiers cross the Spanish Sahara border in what is remembered as the Green March. Spain gives up its sovereignty and the renamed Western Sahara falls under the rule of Morocco and Mauritania.

Mauritania withdraws the troops from the occupied territory and signs a peace treaty with the Polisario Front, the movement that fights for the Saharawi people's right to self-determination.

1975

1979

Mohammed VI comes to the throne. The new king’s policy is much more moderate than his father’s. He opens a dialogue with the opposition by releasing political prisoners and allowing dissenters to return from exile.

Morocco approves by an overwhelming majority (98,5%) the Constitutional Reform promulgated by Mohammed VI.

2011

1999

TESSAOUT VALLEY | THE IMAZIGHEN

Amazigh (singular of Imazighen) means free man in the native language of the indigenous people of North Africa. The more common name Berber has been largely rejected by Imazighen for its negative connotation related to the word barbarian. Since the dawn of history, Imazighen have populated a vast region called Tamazgha: this land encompasses Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Western Sahara, Mauritania and the Canary Islands, as well as parts of Egypt, Mali and Niger. In Morocco, the vast majority of people are Amazigh descent and more than 40% speak Amazigh languages. Tessaout Valley’s geographic isolation in the remote Atlas Mountains has helped preserve Imazighen’s cultural heritage. The Tamazight dialect passed down from generation to generation mostly through oral transmission. There is a strong cor-

relation between the survival of this language and the centrality of music in the Amazigh world: ancient myths and narratives were turned into songs and, still today, the sound of these words, mixed with drums and pipes, accompanies many moments of Imazighen’s everyday lives. In the villages of the Tessaout Valley, distinctive architectures, crafts and costumes clearly reflect the uniqueness of the Amazigh people. Among their traditions, textile art has a predominant place. The process of carpet weaving is based on the joint work of women, who create patterns and motifs that refer to human fertility and serve as symbols of their ethnic identity. Amazigh carpets, as well as ceramic and silver jewelry, play a major role in protecting traditional arts from erosion and disappearance.

(left) Merchant in Magdaz wearing a djellaba, the traditional Amazigh robe.

Group of kids in the village of Tissili.

TESSAOUT VALLEY | THE IMAZIGHEN

Little girl in the village of Azzarzam

TESSAOUT VALLEY | LOCATION PLAN

Located in the heart of the High Atlas mountain range, at around 2000 metres above the sea level, the Tessaout Valley can be reached via the R307 regional road that runs north-south from Demnate to Ouarzazate. Built by the French government at the beginning of 20th century, the road is mostly paved but, in some sections, it turns into a track due to the lack of maintenance. During winter, the area suffers from harsh meteorological conditions: heavy snowfalls can lead to the complete isolation of some of the villages.

DEMNATE

R 208

Marrakech

23.459 inh.

R 307

Tessaout Valley

60 k

Within a radius of 30 km from the Tessaout Valley’s northernmost village (Ait Tamlil) there are only one hospital and one École Secondaire (school for 15 to 18 year-olds), both in Demnate. But, considering the geography of the area and the road conditions, it takes almost two hours to drive from Ait Tamlil to the city. In the absence of public transportation, for those who live in the Tessaout Valley and don’t have private vehicles, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to reach these services.

R 307

N 10

OUARZAZATE 56.616 inh.

0 Km

10 Km

20 Km

30 Km

TAMGANSIFT

AIT TAMLIL

IKNOURIA

TISSILI AMARGHOUT

IRAKET

TARGA N’BLAL

TASSAMERT

AGENSÓ NUAREG

IDARN NUAREG

AMASSIN

IMI N’AHZAYEM

AZZARZA

TAGLAST ANAFAG

IFOULO

IBRAN

AIT ALLÁ

TOUFRINE TAGHRUT AIT LABOUHS TASSFNAST

TASSELNT

AIT BAALI

IGOURDAN

TAKOKHT WAWNGMUT

0 Km

2 Km

4 Km

6 Km

8 Km

10 Km

12 Km

14 Km

Inhabitants Ait Tamlil Tamgansift Iknouria Tassamert Targa N’Blal Amarghout Amassin Iraket Imi N’Ahzayem

465 790 59 291 268 402 560 125 99

Idarn Nuareg Taglast Anafag Agensó Nuareg Ait Allá Toufrine Taghrut Ait Labouhs Tassfnast

306 203 197 783 204 592 270 89 108

Inhabitants living in the T 15

Source: Population census of the

TESSAOUT VALLEY | SETTLEMENT SYSTEM

Legend: Tessaout river and tributaries main hiking trails local roads regional road R307

IMIN TIZGUÍ INFLÁS

medical dispensaries École Primaire (6/12 year-olds) École Collégiale (12/15 year-olds)

villages 0-199 inh. villages 200-399 inh. villages 400-599 inh. villages 600-799 inh.

AIT HAMZÁ

FAKOUR Tessaout

AIT ALI N’TOU

TIFTICHT

IMZILEN

TAZNAGHT

18 Km

MAGDAZ

20 Km

22 Km

24 Km

26 Km

28 Km

30 Km

per village: Ait Baali Igourdan Wawngmut Ibran Ifoulou Tasselnt Takokht Azzarzam Tissili

65 315 272 113 270 568 288 150 761

Inflás Imin Tizguí Fakour Ait Ali N’Tou Ait Hamzá Tifticht Imzilen Magdaz Taznaght

144 284 189 160 305 468 115 650 278

Tessaout Valley: 11.206

e municipality of Ait Tamlil, 2018

MEDICAL DISPENSARIES A Ait Tamlil 22,4 Km

B Magdaz 17,9 Km

45 min 5 h 30 min

45 min 4 h 30 min

Ait Tamlil

Magdaz A

ÉCOLE PRIMAIRE (6/12 year-olds) Average walking time

20 min

TESSAOUT VALLEY | PUBLIC SERVICES

The 36 villages spread around the valley belong to the municipality of Ait Tamlil. The majority of them sit on the bank of the Tessaout River that gives the valley its name. The villages that, instead, are located at a higher altitude usually have a natural water spring close by. Along the Tessaout River and its tributaries, exposed mountain slopes meet beautiful cultivated terraces. The downside of this unspoiled landscape is the almost total absence of the State. The disinterest shown by both local and international institutions translates into the lack or inefficiency of

the most essential public services. Electricity didn’t arrive to the Tessaout Valley until 2014 and, still today, some of the villages don’t have access to safe drinking water. There are only two medical dispensaries at the opposite poles of the valley and one middle school (École Collégiale) in the village of Ait Tamlil. On the contrary, primary schools (École Primaire) appear to be spread throughout the territory. Poor access to healthcare and secondary school facilities is a clear sign of the social disadvantage that affects the inhabitants of the Tessaout Valley.

ÉCOLE COLLÉGIALE (12/15 year-olds) A

Ait Tamlil 27,7 Km

55 min

Ait Tamlil A

TESSAOUT VALLEY | WOMEN’S CONDITION

In 2004, Morocco rewrote its Mudawana (Family Law), raising the minimum age for marriage from 15 to 18, placing limits on polygamy and giving women the right to divorce their husbands and the possibility to obtain child custody. In 2011, the costitutional reform put forward by King Mohammed VI openly addressed the principle of gender equality (Article 19). But, for many women, this legal framework doesn’t seem to have a real effect within their day-to-day lives. Especially in rural communities, women still live under a deeply patriarchal society and, in some cases, they are not even aware of the laws that protect their rights. The Tessaout Valley is no exception. The majority of women are expected to obey their husbands and do not have any decision-making power within and outside their households. Because of this overwhelming attachment

to traditional gender roles, women are left with no rights, despite rapresenting the main workforce of their communities. While around 80% of men move to areas of agricultural production in search of jobs and spend several months working away from home, women never leave their villages and are in charge of everything: looking for firewood and water and carrying heavy loads on their backs for hours, washing clothes in the river, looking after the crops and livestock, cooking and taking care of children. In order to fulfill these exclusively female tasks, girls are the first to be pulled out of school. Their contribution to the household is valued more than their personal education. The result is an extremely high illiteracy rate among women, which underlies the existing gender inequality.

(left) Woman resting on the roof of her house in Toufrine.

TESSAOUT VALLEY | ACCIÓN GEODA

(left) Luis, AG co-founder (right) Asma, School Project teacher (left) Hanini, local host (right) Mohamed, translator

Acción Geoda Foundation is a nongovernmental organization that has worked for over 10 years in the Tessaout Valley with the aim of generating a process of social and economic development. The history of Acción Geoda dates back to 2007 when, during a trip in the High Atlas Mountains, a group of Spanish speleologists made first contact with the inhabitants of the Tessaout Valley. The desire of helping them improve their living conditions led to the official foundation of the NGO in 2009. In the past decade, the different projects run by Acción Geoda have brought radical changes to the local communities. The aim is to achieve four main macro-objectives: higher literacy level, women’s empowerment, better healthcare and environmental protection. The diagram in the next pages explores the impacts that each project is having on people’s everyday lives.

name type head office area of action foundation volunteer members private funding

Acción Geoda NGO Madrid Tessaout Valley February 2009 100% 95%

Acción Geoda’s Projects

WATER PROJECT Access to safe drinking water is guaranteed to every household thanks to the construction of proper water supply systems.

SCHOOL PROJECT Small schools are built and teachers move to the valley to provide literacy classes to adult women and pre-school education to children between the ages of 4 and 6.

WOMEN PROJECT Women are provided with workshops for professional training whose main focus is the manufacturing and sale of handicrafts.

Achieved o

the reduced percentage of diarrhoeal diseases c lower child mortality rates

girls and women, free from the hard task of gathe time to their education

among women, there are less cases of musculo loads of water

Amazigh children approach Arabic during pre-sc starting the École Primaire

women study the fundamentals of mathematics an women and children learn the basic principles of

teachers raise awareness on the issue of waste di

while selling their products, women put into p learned in class women gain confidence and self awareness the small incomes earned by women thanks to economic empowerment

women explore the crafting possibilites of recycle

WASH-HOUSE PROJECT Communal wash-houses, equipped with boilers and wastewater filtration systems, are built to ease women’s laundry burden. 23

there are less cases of rheumatic pathologies of washing clothes in the river

river waters are protected from the chemical con

TESSAOUT VALLEY | ACCIÓN GEODA

objectives

caused by polluted water consumption results in

Macro-objectives HIGHER LITERACY LEVEL

ering and transporting water, can dedicate more

o-skeletal pathologies caused by carrying heavy

chool and have less learning difficulties when

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

nd learn to read and write in Tamazight and Arabic hygiene and health education

isposal

BETTER HEALTHCARE

practice the notions of mathematics and Arab

the sale of handicrafts stimulate their personal

ed materials ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION

caused by the kneeling position proper to the act

ntamination of laundry detergents 24

The wash-house built thanks to Acción Geoda in the village of Tamgansift.

TESSAOUT VALLEY | ACCIÓN GEODA

Extract from the interview with Luís García Muñoz, co-founder of Acción Geoda. (16/01/2019) The Water Project is changing the lives of thousands of people. To what extent is this process based on the collaboration with local communities? LGM: When a village asks for our help, the first thing we require is that the inhabitants form a local association recognized by the municipality of Ait Tamlil. Once we collect enough funds, we employ specialized companies to build wells and pumping systems, while the members of the community have a fundamental role on the construction of the distribution plant and its future maintanence. Does your work in aid of a community always start with the Water Project? LGM: Yes, bringing water to each household has to be the first step. It also helps us understand the level of involvement among the inhabitants. If they don’t commit to providing their children with drinking water, they will hardly engage in those projects that require a much greater open-mindedness and a longer-term sacrifice. In the past, we did not proceed with the usual order in only two occasions. The case of Agensó Nuareg, for example, was confirmation that “building a house from the roof” does not work. The village, which is close to a natural spring, already had running water so the community asked directly for the School Project. In a few months, we had enough money to start building the school but the majority of men made it clear that they were not going to raise a finger. The tension grew and the community split into two groups: one drove by the desire of change, the other one hostile to the outside influence of our volunteers. Eventually, we had to cancel the project and leave the children without school. A hard blow, indeed.

Talking about school, which is the role of Moroccan public institutions? LGM: While we offer pre-school for children under 6 and literacy classes for adult women, elementary and middle schools are public services that fall under State responsibility. There are many elementary schools throughout the territory but their conditions are extremely precarious: decaying structures, lack of school supplies and unprepared teachers. The result is a very low attendance rate. There is also, in the majority of cases, a cultural barrier to female education: from a very young age, girls are supposed to help their mothers keep the household functioning. After the age of 12, very few girls have permission to leave their villages and go to school in Ait Tamlil, where the only École Collégiale is. What does the Women Project consist of and how was it received by the communities of Azzarzam and Ifoulou? LGM: The women that decide to take part in the project make handcrafted items and then sell them to the participants of our solidarity trips or to the few tourists that pass by the valley. The fathers’ and husbands’ reaction differs from case to case. Unfortunately, it is not rare to find very unsupportive families: men are usually hostile to the idea of their daughters or wives interacting with strangers when selling their products. It takes lots of time and patience. But it does have a huge importance for us. Besides feeling motivated and becoming more and more aware of their skills, women can also put into practice the notions learned in class: at the cash register they make simple mathematical calculations and see the fruits of their labor and commitment.

TAMGANSIFT

AIT TAMLIL

IKNOURIA

TISSILI

sa Tes

AMARGHOUT

ou t

AZZARZAM

AGENSÓ NUAREG

IRAKET

IDARN NUAREG TARGA N’BLAL

TASSAMERT

AMASSIN

IMI N’AHZAYEM

ANAFAG

TAGLAST

IFOULOU IBRAN

AIT ALLÁ

TAGHRUT

TOUFRINE

TASSFNAST AIT LABOUHS

TASSELNT

AIT BAALI

IGOURDAN

TAKOKHT WAWNGMUT

0 Km

2 Km

4 Km

6 Km

8 Km

10 Km

12 Km

14 Km

WATER project SCHOOL project WOMEN project WASH-HOUSE project

fin

State of Acción Geoda’s projects throug 27

TESSAOUT VALLEY | ACCIÓN GEODA

Legend: Tessaout river and tributaries

IMIN TIZGUÍ

main hiking trails

INFLÁS

local roads regional road R307

Tessa

out

AIT HAMZÁ FAKOUR AIT ALI N’TOU

T TIFTICHT

IMZILEN

TAZNAGHT

nalized

18 Km

on-going

20 Km

MAGDAZ

22 Km

24 Km

26 Km

28 Km

30 Km

requested

ghout the Tessaout Valley (April 2019) 28

PILOT PROJECT | MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT

HIGHER LITERACY LEVEL

BETTER HEALTHCARE

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION

+ SOCIAL COHESION

This thesis project stemps from the desire to contribute to the valley’s socio-economic development. Besides sharing with Acción Geoda the same four macro-objectives, two more goals will be added to the ones set by the NGO: promoting social cohesion and giving more visibility to the Amazigh communities. These new macroobjectives come from the identification of the following issues: The villages of the Tessaout Valley, whose growth occurred through the spontaneous aggragation of housing units, suffer from the complete lack of gathering spaces other than the mosque. ■

The vast majority of people completely ignore the living conditions and state of social exclusion faced by the Amazigh communities of Morocco. ■

VISIBILITY TO IMAZIGHEN

Our intervention consists in designing the model of a community center where architecture can help promote a selfsustainable local development based on achieving the set out goals. The pilot project of this model will serve the villages of Magdaz and Taznaght, located a few hundreds meters away from one another in the south-eastern tip of the valley. Here, the Water Project, finalized in 2014, helped reducing female rates of early school leaving and largely improved public health. The will to change has led the communities of Magdaz and Taznaght to request also the School, the Women and the Wash-house projects. The needs expressed by the inhabitants offer the opportunity to experiment a multi-purpose complex with various interconnected functions. The location of the centre at the end of the valley’s main hiking trails will be well visible and accesible by tourists.

Projects requested by the communities

Taznaght

Magdaz

TAZNAGHT 278 inh.

MAGDAZ 650 inh.

LOCATION PLAN | MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT +2020 +2010 +2000

’ C

+1990 +1980

+1950

B’

+1960

A’

+1970

+1980

+1990

PROJECT SITE +1970 +2000

+1960

+1980

C +1990

+2000

A +2010

paved road

shops

paths

medical dispensary

granaries

crops

mosques

École Primaire

MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT | SECTIONS

Section AA’

Section BB’

Section CC’

A tributary of the Tessaout River, crossed by two small footbridges, separate the villages of Taznaght and Magdaz. The riverbed is coated with crops and walnut groves. Small commercial activities, arisen in recent years, are lined with the paved road leading to Magdaz. Both villages have a mosque, one of the few construction interventions widely carried out by the State even in the most remote rural areas. 32

LANDSCAPES | MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT

Taznaght seen from the project site.

Magdaz seen from the project site.

HOUSING TYPOLOGIES | MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT

The douar’s (settlement on the valley floor) typical housing stands on a halfbasement level used as a stable and provided with a separate entrance. In fine weather, the roof terrace becomes a real extension of the living space. Mixed building techniques (earth pisè, adobe bricks, dry stone) result from the fact that houses are usually built in several steps.

0 1 2 3 4 5

The azib’s (high-altitude settlement) typical housing comes from the vernacular temporary structures linked to seasonal transhumance. Also in this case, the half-basement level has separate entrance while the external space on the roof is replaced by a well-sheltered porch that gives access to the rooms on the upper floor. The main building material is dry stone.

0 1 2 3 4 5

(right) view of Magdaz

FORTIFIED GRANARIES | MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT

The igoudar (plural of agadir) are collective fortified granaries built to store and protect the tribe’s food supply. The agadir’s guardian, elected by the men of the village, lives on the premises with his family; therefore, granaries always host living spaces as well as storage rooms. In most cases, they also feature an open cattle yard at ground level and a roof terrace on the upper floor. These strongholds are up to 15 meters high thanks to an exceptional

building system that brings together the dry stone with horizontal elements of juniper wood, creating a stair-like chain that encircles the structure from base to top. The volume’s firmness and the almost total absence of openings underline the granary’s defensive characher. Historically, along with keeping grain safe from lootings and extreme weather, these buildings served as a refuge for local inhabitants in case of attacks by enemy tribes.

0 1 2 3 4 5

(right) One of Magdaz granaries

11,00 m

GRANARY’S ELEVATION | MAGDAZ - TAZNAGHT

7,60 m

South-west elevation of granary no. 7 39

MAGDAZ 1

TAZNAGHT

6 7

3 4

site

Only in Magdaz there are six fortified granaries, of which four (no. 2, 3, 4 and 5) are kept in good condition while two (no. 1 and 6) are in an advanced state of ruin. The granary no. 7, on the opposite side of the river, is still standing but it has been recently abandoned. The bricked-up doorway stopped us from visiting and measuring the interior, which is supposedly distributed on 3 levels with a central staircase, according to the agadir’s typological scheme.

HIGHER LITERACY LEVEL

pre-school classrooms women’s literacy classrooms library teachers’ housing / tourist accomodation

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

women’s craft workshop communal ovens

BETTER HEALTHCARE

shop exhibition space

ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION

wash-house

hammam

multipurpuse hall communal kitchen local association’s office outdoor gathering spaces 41

SOCIAL COHESION

VISIBILITY TO IMAZIGHEN

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | FUNCTIONAL PROGRAM

Nekuní means “us” in Tamazight and is the name of the community centre designed for the villages of Magdaz and Taznaght as a model for the rest of the Tessaout Valley. Thanks to the concentration of different functions within the same centre, the time usually taken to move from one place to another turns into time for education, professional training, recreational and cultural activities. The Nekuní Centre will host the NGO’s projects ( ) as well as new services ( ) currently lacking in the valley. Among them, a library will provide books to support women’s reading development and will offer a study space also to those children (6/15 year-olds) whose education falls under State responsibility. A Hammam, the first in the whole valley, will considerably improve the inhabitants’ hygienic conditions and, therefore, have a positive affect on their health. Located along the external wall of the Hammam,

communal ovens for the baking of bread will help heating up the interior, with the aim to optimize the use of firewood. The functional program also includes several indoor and outdoor gathering spaces that will play a key role in builduing social cohesion among the inhabitants. Another important aspect is the potential to attract visitors. Trakkers usually pass by Magdaz and Taznaght without learning anything about their people. Finding a multipurpuse centre at the end of the area’s main hiking trails will offer an opportunity to make first contact with the Amazigh community, to buy handicrafts made by local women and to witness the work of Acción Geoda, in the hope that raising awareness will be the first step toward change. To promote solidarity tourism, in the summer months, the teachers’ housing units will be used as accomodations for visitors who want to contribute to the development and maintenance of the community centre.

NEKUNÍ CENTRE

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | FUNCTIONAL PROGRAM

CHILDREN

WOMEN

15/49 year-olds

4/6 year-olds

162

230

MAGDAZ’s population

TAZNAGHT’s

population

TOTAL

In the villages where the School Project is on going, an avarage of 30% of women partecipate. The percentage is brought up to 50%. 230 x 0.5 = 115 School Project’s

a b

20 20 20 20 20 20

A B C D E F

CLASS SIZES

CLASS HOURS

120

BENEFICIARIES

A-B-C

9.00 - 12.00

D-E-F

13.00 - 16.00

a-b

25 25

9.00 - 16.00

CLASSROOMS

TEACHERS

2 44

Hammam

Communal ovens

Wash-house

Multipurpose hall Communal kitchen

Library

Women’s literacy classroom

Teachers’ housing

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | ISOMETRIC VIEW Hammam Wash-house Multipurpose hall Communal kitchen Exhibition space/shop Library Women’s craft workshop Women’s literacy classrooms Pre-school classrooms Service blocks Local association‘s office Storage room Teachers’ housing Outdoor classrooms Outdoor public space

Exhibition space/shop

Total:

112 m2 50 m2 65 m2 32 m2 49 m2 49 m2 49 m2 147 m2 98 m2 186 m2 32 m2 30 m2 145 m2 195 m2 980 m2 2219 m2

Women’s craft workshop Women’s literacy classroom Local association’s office Storage room

Women’s literacy classroom

Pre-school classroom Pre-school classroom

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Inspired by the vernacular layout of the nearby villages, the Nekuní Centre is made up of different volumes stepped into the contours of the mountain slope. The area’s main hiking trail and the path coming from Taznaght lead into the west-facing entrance of the complex. Twelve meters below, on the northeast corner, a gentle staircase gives access to the community centre from the Magdaz path. The programmatic organization is arranged into four main levels. On the highest one, the old granary emerges from the ground over a wide public square surrounded by the centre’s main gathering spaces. One level down, slightly away from the other buildings, an elongated volume dug into the earth provide housing for the teachers. The rest of the program is located in three series of partially overlapping modules that step down the slope with the aim of minimizing the project’s footprint on the landscape. One module’s flat roof serves as patio for the module above, giving each women’s classroom and workshop its own outdoor space.

TAZ NA

HIKING TRIAL

3 4

5 6

7 9 8

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | LEVEL 4 PLAN

AG HT

MA GD AZ

hammam’s entrance changing room warm room hot room boiler room communal ovens wash-house drying rack multipurpose hall exhibition space/shop

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

6 2

8 3

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | LEVEL 3 PLAN

teachers’ housing communal kitchen kitchen garden library boiler room toilets women‘s craft workshop women’s litaracy classroom

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

4 3

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | LEVEL 2 PLAN

2 6 2

pre-school classroom women’s literacy classrooms toilets boiler room playground sitting area

1 2 3 4 5 6

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | LEVEL 1 PLAN

6 5 3

pre-school classroom playground toilets boiler room local association’s office storage room

1 2 3 4 5 6

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Nekuní Centre’s building claster is intentionally less compact compared to the pattern of traditional villages. This lower density generates a variety of outdoor gathering spaces that blend in with the circulation system: stairways and paths run along and through the buildings sharing the same local stone used for the squares’ paving and the retaining walls. The earthen facades pay tribute to the Maroccan tradition by interrupting the monochrome with uneven white-painted window frames that add movement to the severe volumes while giving the illusion of bigger openings. Thanks to the project‘s stepped geometry, every corner of the outdoor space offers breathtaking views of the valley and the jumps in height become an excuse to play with different design solutions. A small climbing wall and a slide connect the two levels of the children’s playgroung; a hammock and some large steps serve as outdoor sitting area; the wide stairs in front of the wash-house provide the perfect space for a drying station.

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | EAST ELEVATION

+7.80

+4.4

+1.00

+11.20

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | SECTIONS

+12.40 +11.20

+11.20

+7.80

+7.20

+1.00

+7.80

+4.40

+11.20

+7.80

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | SECTIONS

+11.80

+7.80

+2.80

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The outdoor circulation system cuts across the monolithic volumes creating covered passageways that act as filters between not only interior and exterior but also served and service spaces. On one side, the passageway gives access to the classroom whose rectangular module stretches towards the valley; on the other, it leads to the partially underground service block. In front of the boiler room and the two-units toilet, a wash basin plays the important role of encouraging good hygiene habits. The trasversal pathways emphasize the dialogue between the Nekuní Centre and its surroundings, by framing the landscape and creating gentle visual connections.

The will to respect the valley’s seamless blend of nature and architecture led to a earth design that merges perfectly into the landscape. Using soil from the excavated site as the main building material means reducing the environmental impact while minimizing costs. Mechanical presses are brought to site for the production of compressed earth blocks that offer better structural properties in comparison to traditional mud bricks. With their high thermal mass, earth walls absorb solar rays during the day and radiate heat as the temperature drops. A thermal coat made of earth and straw provides an additional protection against the bitter cold of the High Atlas’ winters. Harsh weather is also the reason behind the absence of windows in the north facing walls. The building process promotes a short supply chain not only of materials but also of labour and expertise. Hiring local builders is a way to support the valley’s economy and install pride in the construction of the community centre.

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | PROJECT DESCRIPTION

98 7

6 5 4 3

15 14 13 12 11

20 19 18 17 16

24 23 22 21

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | CONSTRUCTION DETAIL

Wooden beam 350 x 250 mm

Wooden joist 70 mm

Wooden planking 25 mm

Separation layer

Earth and straw 300 kg/mc 150 mm

Wood fibre sound-absorbing felt

Stabilized earth screed 60 mm

Polypropylene microfiber membrane

Stabilized earth paving 15 mm

Lime milk waterproofing mortar

11 Compressed earth block 240 x 115 x 71 mm 12 Wooden framework 13 Earth and straw 300 kg/mc 150 mm 14 Jute mesh 15 Raw earth plaster 15 mm

16 Clay waterproofing layer 100 mm 17 Gravel 250 mm 18 Earth and straw 300 kg/mc 150 mm 19 Stabilized earth screed 60 mm 20 Raw earth floor 15 mm

21 Clay waterproofing layer 100 mm 22 Gravel 250 mm 23 Stabilized earth screed 40 mm 24 Stone floor 70

NEKUNÍ CENTRE | MODEL

BIBLIOGRAPHY

AMAZIGH CULTURE Hart D. M., Tribe and society in rural Morocco, Frank Cass, London, 2000 Becker C., Amazigh arts in Morocco: women shaping berber identity, University of Texas Press, Austin, 2006 Costa M. R., Batista D., Architecture traditionelle dans les zones de montagne: contribution à l’étude de la tipologie des habitations dans le Haut-Atlas au Maroc, Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, 2018 Ait Hamza M., Pour une nouvelle perception des montagnes Marocaines, Faculté des Lettres et des Sciences Humaines, Rabat, 2004 Pyeron M., Habitat rural et vie montagnarde dans le Haut Atlas de Midelt (Maroc), article from Revue de Géographie Alpine vol. 64 no. 3, 1976, pp. 327-363 Auclair L., Alifriqui M., Agdal: patrimoine socio-écologique de l’Atlas marocain, Institut Royal de la Culture Amazighe and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, 2012 RAW EARTH Houben H., Guillard H., Earth construction. A comprehensive guide, Intermediate Technology Publications, London, 1994 Scudo G., Narici B., Talamo C., Costruire con la terra, Gruppo Editoriale Esselibri, Naples, 2001 Achenza M., Sanna U., Il manuale tecnico della terra cruda, DEI, Roma, 2009 Houben H., Guillard H., Traitè de construction en terre, Édition Parenthèse, Marseille, 1989 Lehm im Innenraum, Eigenschaften Systeme Gestaltung, Frauntofer IRB Verlog, Stuttgart, 2012 Gabriel A., Moderner Lehmbau: Bauweise mit Entwicklungspotenzial, article from Detail, 06/2011, pp. 752-761 NORMATIVE REFERENCES Règlement Thermique de Construction au Maroc, Agence Nationale pour le Développement des Energies Renouvelables et de l'Efficacité Energétique Le reglement de construction parasismique RPS 2011 Guide de conception des bâtiments éducatifs (enseignement privé), Project 702/MOR/10, Section Architecture pour l’Education, Division pour la Reconstruction et le Développementdes Systèmes Éducatifs, UNESCO, Paris, 1995 74

Along the journey that led to this book, many people found their way to support us. This thesis would not be the same without them. To our professors, Michele Beccu and Adolfo F. L. Baratta, for believing in our project since day one and for guiding us with their precious insights. To Cruz, Isabel, Luis and Pilar, for putting forth such a selfless effort into helping others and for inspiring us with their kindness and commitment. To Alí, Asma, Fatima, Mohamed and Omar, for their priceless translations and genuine friendship. To Hafid, for our endless conversations and for teaching us so much more than we could have ever hoped for.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To Hanini, Hasan and all the wonderful people of the Tessaout Valley, for their warm hospitality and their contagious smiles. To Elena, for being our irreplaceable traveling companion and enriching us with her positivity. To Jon, for sharing with us some of his beautiful portraits. To Chiara, for giving us the clarity and help we needed in the final rush. To Luca, for always being there, for his smart intuition and unwavering support. And to our parents, none of this would have ever happened without their unconditional love. Thank you.

A THESIS BY: MIRIAM CONTI & GIULIA RONDININI