Dezeen Magazine

Guelmim Technology School by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Slideshow: following our earlier story about a university in the Moroccan desert with a sandy red exterior, here's a school of technology in the nearby town of Guelmim with walls covered in the same grainy render.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Also designed by architects Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana, the Guelmim Technology School comprises a series of concrete buildings that feature projecting windows, louvres and narrow openings.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

A series of canopies create sheltered walkways and seating areas along the north to south axis that divides the campus into two.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Most of the classrooms are located in buildings on the western side of the site, while laboratories and workshops occupy a row of blocks on the eastern side.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

You can read about the university building by the same architects in our earlier story.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

See all our stories about Morocco »

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Photography is by Fernando Guerra.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Here's some more information from the architects:


Technology School of Guelmim Morocco

The project of the Technology School of Guelmim is part of the development policy of academic institutions in the southern regions of Morocco.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

The project consists of an amphitheater, classrooms, workshops, laboratories, administration, library, teacher’s offices and office staff housing.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

The starting point was to provide a strong architecture, contemporary but inspired by the context in which it occurs.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

The challenge was to recreate a certain mood, a certain scale with modern tools and architectural vocabulary.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Thus, the architecture is voluntarily massive, powerful and plays with the contrast between interior and exterior.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

The various buildings are organized along a north-south axis through a partly covered path, and are organized on L-forms or indoor gardens.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

This organization helps readability and clarity of the various entities of the project while maintaining a set of scales adapted to the diversity of the program.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Similarly, a reflection on the thermal quality results a work orientation, protection of openings and vegetation cover, thus conditioning part of the architecture vocabulary and principles.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

At last, the project Research finally assumes a certain theatricality, a certain gravitas that meets the solemnity inherent to educational institutions.

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Architects: SAAD EL KABBAJ / DRISS KETTANI / MOHAMED AMINE SIANA
Team: YASSINE EL AOUNI / RACHID EL MAATAOUI

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Client: UNIVERSITE IBN ZOHR D’AGADIR

Engineering: BEPOL SARL
Contractor: ZERKDI & FILS

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana

Built area: 6883 M²
Design - Construction : 2008-2011

Technology School of Guelmim by Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani and Mohamed Amine Siana