The word ‘Darna’ means ‘our home’ in Arabic and bears multiple meanings within the scope of this project; Envisioning a modern yet vernacularly informed collective housing complex situated in the delicate context of the Jewish Quarter (‘Mellah’) of Marrakesh, Morocco.
The ‘Darna Collective’ envisions a modern yet vernacularly informed collective housing, public courtyards, and micro-farming complex within the Jewish quarter of Marrakesh, Morocco. The project investigates and utilizes the core principles and spatial logic of the historically endemic Riad - Courtyard House architectural typology; which fundamentally characterizes Marrakesh’s vernacular identity.
The ‘Darna Collective’ seeks to articulate a gentle design strategy tailored for a hyper-dense, heritage-listed urban context that will accommodate multiple family households. The proposal explores and mediates between private, semi-private, and communal residential spaces while integrating shared amenities and a micro-farming cultivation framework.
In the last decade, the Jewish quarter is marked by the demolition of degraded heritage buildings manifesting multiple ‘urban voids’. This project questions how these ‘urban voids’ can be utilized for positive change and urban regeneration;
BOTANICAL LANTERNS - PROTOTYPE FOR VEGETATION STRATEGY
