Flat Combinatronics

American University of Sharjah, College of Architecture, art and Design, Sharjah

Project idea

The project explores the potential of the Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (M.A.P) Sector in Marrakech, Morocco, by envisioning a socio-economic proposal that ties the rural women community in the Atlas Mountains, who play a major role within this sector, to the existing M.A.P agricultural economy of Marrakech by providing them space, skills and funds to become educated and empowered individuals.

Project description

The program focuses on educating and empowering these rural women who do not directly reap the benefits of their work in the M.A.P sector due to the existing structure of labor within Marrakech. In doing so, we have designed a vocational training facility, that is a 2-and-a-half year program where these rural women are educated in various commercial courses as well are taught efficient farming techniques. At the end of their education, they are to propose a business plan that elaborates on the various kinds of products that they would manufacture in-house. Upon having the plan approved, the in-house microfinance facility will issue microcredits to each group so that they are able to carry out their trade within the co-operatives set up and become direct beneficiaries of their efforts and active members of the M.A.P sector.

Technical information

Drawing from agricultural manipulations to the landscape, the project is conceived as a combination of panels derived from varied operations and soil manipulation on site. A system of panels is created based on the categories of opaque, porous, and volumetric extrusions which are then used in different combinations as wall and roof panels to create novel spatial conditions as required by the program. Based on the research, the program includes a vocational training center, microfinance facility, co-operatives, and housing for these rural women.
The site is located in Marrakech, close to many markets, and at a 1-2 hour proximity from the rural communities in the High Atlas Mountains. It is characterized by the Oued Issil that dissects the site into two. While the relatively public portion of the site, closer to the road edge, accommodates the vocational training center, microfinance facility, and the co-operatives. The private side accommodates the housing facilities. The issue of unpredictable flooding is addressed through a system of water management, that directs water from the ridge to storage cisterns, that are then used for agricultural purposes.

Co-authors

Hudaa Roshan and Samrakshana Suresh along with Instructor: Prof. Faysal Tabbarah