Suppose you ever find yourself lost in a rich tapestry of what you would identify and recognize as Islamic and Berber influences. In that case, great chances are that you are simply finding yourself indulged in a truly mesmerizing journey of unfolding and opening the doors to the world of the architecture of Marrakesh.
For generations, the city of Marrakesh has been known for its rich history and culture, which could be best said to have been captured in the form of a frozen hourglass, which is rather known as the architecture of Marrakesh. For how once you truly set on an exploration of the incredible architecture of this city, it is only when you truly approach the breathtaking Islamic and Berber heritage captured and showcased within the architecture of this culturally and architecturally rich city. This heritage is expressed uniquely by a diverse range of architectural expressions while gracefully blending contemporary design.
Being known as a city of stark contrasts, the architecture of Marrakesh still seems to portray tradition and modernity together within the same framework seamlessly. It’s this invisible array of interconnectedness and harmony the architects achieve within their vision and work as they blend the two pinnacles of architecture in a way that dissolves like sweet sugar does in tea, and yes! With that, simply marking exactly the right proportion of each just as one would love the right number of teaspoons of sugar into their tea.
Speaking of Islamic and Berber heritage echoing across and within the architecture of Marrakesh, it can truly be best understood and experienced once one discovers how both treasured heritages are to be expressed architecturally. In architectural terms and detailing, this heritage is best expressed first within the very home and home of absolute Islamic beauty and elegance, without a doubt, being mosques.
Following that would be Berber heritage and for how its vibrant theme is best captured through these wonderfully rich in color tilework across Morocco, with most abundant expression within mosques, palaces, and further magnificent courtyards in Marrakesh. With that being said, we even see what can be worded as “tradition within tradition” across Marrakech architecture for how both sources of prosperous heritage flow together, within and along one another across the architecture in the architecturally rich Moroccan identity of Marrakech.
The Mosques of Marrakesh
Marrakesh mosques truly and most elegantly feature and express Islamic heritage through the most timeless of architectural structures and details. The most recognized of these structures being tall, slender minarets as they most beautifully intersect along the serene skyline of Marrakesh. These elegant minarets do not only serve religiously but also go by further aesthetic purposes that harmoniously go hand in hand with the aim of guiding and attracting the Muslims and faithful within the city towards prayer. An iconic example of a mosque with a massive and truly eye-striking minaret and spacious courtyard would most certainly be the Koutoubia Mosque of Marrakech.
The Koutoubia Mosque is home to a truly ancient jewel to time, being the iconic minaret that has been standing guard for centuries in counting, dating back to when the Almohads had first erected it in the 12th century. Needless to say, how the architectural insights found on and around the magnificent minaret speak for its age and historical heritage itself, this most majorly being portrayed by the Moorish ornament it is decorated with, this being scalloped keystone arches as present most plentifully towards the top of the minaret, along with jagged merlon crenelations, all laid alongside one another by truly mathematically pleasing proportions.
In terms of further architectural insight, the minaret and mosque’s square design drifts away from other Middle Eastern mosques of its kind that go by domed minarets instead, the Koutoubia’s square design would be recognized as an Amazigh trademark (The Amazigh are the indigenous inhabitants of the North African littoral, isolated from the rest of Africa by the Sahara Desert.).
The incredible tilework of the Koutoubia Mosque, otherwise referred to as “zellige,” which are the traditionally glazed decorative tiles, key to Moroccan culture as they are handcrafted and come in a wide variety of colors, tones, and shapes, with each piece going by its own unique identity. It is essential to note that these vibrant colors and carefully handcrafted geometric patterns upon each individual tile do not only serve decorative purposes, but also embody the Islamic emphasis on aniconism and abstract beauty.
Further closeups to the beautifully harmonious zellige on the Koutoubia Mosque can also be viewed with how the elegantly chosen shades of emerald, as well as further varying shades of turquoise and green truly stand out within the zellige workings of the century-old landmark of Marrakech, a true testament to Islamic heritage and tradition.
With such truly both historically and culturally rich details and characteristics, it leaves no surprise as to how the Koutoubia Mosque is deemed as Marrakesh’s most famous landmark today.
The interior to the mosque only goes onto to further the purity of the mosque with a pure coat of white on all pillars and arches that beautifully come one after the other. This aesthetic brought to life via the series of pointed horseshoe arches, yet again greatly reflective of Islamic Architecture. Speaking of arches representative of Islamic Architecture, the beautiful overlapping of multifoil arches upon pointed horseshoe arches towards the top of the iconic minaret of Koutoubia mosque is also worth highlighting for how it truly further serves as a testament to traditional and cultural representation within Marrakech architecture, as it houses the speakers and megaphones through which the beautiful Adhan, call to prayer, is called 5 times a day, every day across the city of Marrakesh.
The Bahia Palace
With its name translating to “brilliance” in Arabic, you cannot deny the fact that it truly lives up to its name with its truly brilliant capture of the essence of Islamic and Moroccan style within architecture. Spanning a good 2-acre (8,000 sqm) garden, with rooms running into nature’s embrace via its royal courtyards, the Bahia Palace truly lives up to having been the grand abode of a sultan as Si Moussa, the grand-vizir of the sultan, set it up.
The palace has served a good number of grand royal individuals, as it was utilized as a royal residence when Morocco gained independence from France in 1956, that is only until King Hassan ll transferred it to the custody and control of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, which to think of now was truly a heroic act for how it enabled this gem of a landmark to be preserved all these years a cultural icon and massive tourist attraction today within the city of Marrakesh.
Yet again truly deserving of its own spotlight would be the remarkable zellige of the palace for how it is adorned entirely with togethering piecing this most stunning visual effect especially when they go by complementary color families that coexist and coincide most beautifully.
The grandeur of the zellige is topped with the most elegant fountains that truly serve to mark and emphasize the significance of water and greenery in Islamic and Berber aesthetics. Having highlighted this point is what can also be considered in tracing and leading us to our next design connection for how the naturally gifted link between greenery and water for how both coexist with one another’s existence is also reflected upon the very choice and selection of the tiling colors. Notice how the zellige interchange between shades of green and blue gracefully placed adjacent to on another without forming any form of visual disruption, that right there is genius within what we call today’s modern world color theory!
How we all take it as a fact within our very elementary stages of school as we dive into the most beautiful world of arts that undoubtedly greens and blues complement each other for how they are analogous colors or in other words sisters’ color families, with orange also being a mutual complement to both colors and not a doubt forms in mind in regard to that for how one only clearly witnesses the fact coming to life within this most harmonious relationship within the magnificent zellige selection in the Bahia Palace.
Merging Tradition and Modernity
Having gotten to know and acknowledge the foundational elements representative and reflective of the architecture of Marrakesh, the connections between traditional design choices upon modern and more or so contemporary design can now best be traced. An iconic project that truly harmonizes Marrakesh’s architectural culture with contemporary design would truly be the La Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech, which beautifully merges traditional Moroccan architecture with modern luxury.
Recently named as the Best Hotel in the World at the 2018 Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards, the grand hotel built in Moorish style with subtle touches of Art Deco dates much earlier back to 1923. Redecorated by French interior designer Jacques Garcia in 2009, the interior teems with historical and vintage references accompanied by obscene amounts of velvet and tassels, as per the signature style of Garcia’s interiors.
Yet again, emphasizing Moroccan architecture, the stunning zellige workings across the hotel are truly worth acknowledging for how they effortlessly capture tradition and cultural references as well as modernity at the same time, given the Art-deco style applied by both French architects Henri Prost and Antoine Marchisio via the symmetry and simplicity that is also achieved amidst all the grandeur beginning from the exterior and flowing into the interior.
Despite all the various forms of renovations the hotel has undergone for years, La Mamounia has still always been committed to preserving its local heritage, that is, by drawing the balance between renovations while keeping and preserving the Moroccan soul that echoes along every wall within the riad making La Mamounia the staple of Marrakech architecture blended with modern design.
La Mamounia also has modern facilities: a games room, a cinema, a gym, two tennis courts, a hairdressing and beauty salon, and conference and reception rooms. To best portray it, La Mamounia is born from the union of the comfort of the West and the splendor of the East.
Sustainability Meets Tradition
At the intersection of core principles, such as respecting traditional architectural norms, focusing on sustainability, and maintaining modernity, you’ll find the COP22 Village in Marrakesh, Morocco. Built for the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Marrakesh in 2016, this very project truly stands as a blend of sustainability and Moroccan architectural heritage, brought together via modernist touches.
This village majorly recognized by its unique and truly functional tensile structures providing shade against the heat in Morocco, which when seen with an architectural eye can also be said to mimic what are known as “mashrabiya screens” which are originally composed of wood and are lattice screens that offer both shade and privacy, allowing for natural light to filter through while simultaneously protecting against the intense sun.
Sustainability is only a complete statement made by the project as well given the eco-friendly materials used as well as energy-efficient technologies used that being inclusive of solar panels, natural ventilation systems, in line with achieving the conference’s focus on action towards climate change.
The wooden arched pavilions are truly most directly reflective of Marrakech architecture as well. They’re foundational elements within their culture and are wonderfully expressed here in wooden form. Their repetitive design and arrangement bring that touch of modernity infused to the design, taking it to its next level.
Preserving Moroccan Heritage in Contemporary Design
Traditional Moroccan architecture can be said to be known and recognized for emphasizing the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces, for how modern architects continue this tradition by incorporating elements such as gardens, courtyards, as well as further water features into their design. Needless to say, even modern designs pay homage to traditional patterns and designs, such as those found in zellige workings and intricate arches, while exploring innovative uses. In a nutshell, contemporary architects continue to respect and incorporate these traditions, resulting in crafting a harmonious blend of past and present that honors the city’s unique heritage.
- Traditional Moroccan architecture provides a perfect transition between inside and outside living, where there are courtyards and gardens with running water in most traditional and modern designs.
- Modern architects have continued incorporating the use of zellige, or mosaic tiles, in strategic patterns into modern design as a means of continuing the artisanery and beauty of the culture while studying new uses for it.
- Elaborate arches, typical of Moroccan architecture, have been preserved in modern designs. The sense of symmetry and proportion expressed in traditional edifices is reinterpreted in today’s projects.
- Most modern Moroccan designs incorporate sustainable practices into their work through the integration of eco-friendly materials and energy-saving systems, yet still honor traditional architectural norms, such as the shading devices inspired by “mashrabiya screens.”
- Contemporary architects balance tradition and innovation deftly: the combination of modern amenities and design along with the culturally iconic elements, including courtyards, tile patterns, and wooden pavilions, into an ageless architecture pays homage to Morocco’s heritage.
