Holcim Awards 2008 Africa Middle East

Gold: River remediation and urban development scheme, Fez, Morocco

The reclaimed “el-Rcif Plaza” (main image) melds the transportation hub and the river bank circulation system and is planned to become a major public plaza and critical threshold for the new pedestrian river axis (inset).

Type of project:
Landscape design
Start of construction:
January 2009
Main authors:
Aziza Chaouni, architect, Extramuro LLP, Fez, Morocco and Takako Tajima, urban planner, Los Angeles, USA

Project Summary
The medina of the Moroccan royal city of Fez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However its continuing decline threatens this prestigious title. The project, River remediation and urban development scheme, aims to revitalize the heavily polluted and neglected river Fez. By returning to this ancient heart its dynamic soul, urban renewal and life quality will follow.