June 2023 | Telouet, Milano, Firenze, Perugia. 

The primary goal of the workshop is to identify proposals and ideas for new forms of habitat and settlement in Souththern Moroccan villages. Today, these villages are afflicted by the uncritical introduction of dwelling models that are foreign to the historicallyestablished models of settlement and living. In additions, the use of alien building technologies and materials has led to the development of new building forms. However, these recent additions reflect the inhabitants’ desire to live in a “modern” manner. And this should not be neglected. From the late 18th century to the middle of the 20th century, the region of Telouet played an important role in Moroccan history, with the Kasbah of Telouet serving as the power centre of the Glaoua tribe. Due to a political scandal involving members of the tribe, the “region of the Glaoua” is currently being neglected. Students are required to draugth design proposals that highlight issues and themes and address the urban and architectural needs of these villages and their inhabitants, beginning with a visit to and study of traditional settlements in the region. The villages of Imaouin and Timsal in the rural commune of Telouet will serve as case studies, as they are representative of two contrasting settlement models. Timsal, where the village is constructed after the kasbah, and Imaouin, where the Telouet Kasbah is constructed after and during the construction of the village. Students will be guided through the study of such urban mechanisms, uncovering their meanings, typological and morphological variations, and physical outcomes. The project will serve as an instrument for producing knowledge and cultural content.