Holcim Awards shines light on innovative project
“The Holcim Awards did bring attention to the river project and in turn triggered new rehabilitation initiatives including an additional international design competition”, project architect Aziza Chaouni comments. The core components of the project are the rehabilitation of the old city’s architecture, revitalizing public spaces and traditional tanneries, and creating new pedestrian zones.
As the project is implemented, water quality in the River Fez has begun to be restored, and the northern part of the river which was previously paved over with concrete slabs has been uncovered. This was an extremely challenging task since the adjacent buildings and their foundations are fragile and several centuries old. The sewage pipelines which previously emptied directly into the river have been diverted.
Reinvigoration of Fez to be further advanced by another competition
Beyond the progress in the “el Rcif Plaza”, as part of the Holcim Awards winning project, Fez is set to benefit from an additional competition for the design of “Place Lalla Yeddouna” which aims to bring a vibrant mixed-use urban hub for the community as well as visitors to the Medina. The competition seeks an urban and architectural design for an area of approximately 7,400sqm including the restoration of some existing buildings and the design of additional new buildings and public spaces.
In announcing the competition results in March 2011, the jury unanimously recommended that the winner of the competition, Mossessian and Partners, London/UK with Yassir Khalil Studio, Casablanca/Morocco be commissioned to supply the services as stated in the competition brief.