New Push For Enhancement of Morocco's Ancient Medinas

On Monday, His Majesty King Mohammed VI presided over a ceremony at the Royal Palace of Rabat, which unveiled the programmes for the enhancement of the old medinas of Rabat and Marrakech, Casablanca and Fez

HM King Mohammed VI presides over the Rabat meeting 

The King ordered the development of the third phase of the programme of buildings threatened by ruin. For this the old Casablanca Medina has been given a budget of 300 million dirhams.

These new generation programmes aim to promote Morocco's ancient medinas, improve the living conditions of their inhabitants, preserve their architectural heritage, tangible and intangible, and promote their wealth and cultural authenticity.

At the beginning of this ceremony, the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit emphasized, in an address to His Majesty the King, that these programs, which proceed from a participative approach, support the rehabilitation projects of the old ones. medinas of Rabat, Marrakech and Fez.

The old medina of Rabat will see the restoration of ramparts, historic doors, of mosques and Zaouiyas, as well as the rehabilitation of the traditional foundouks and the provision of green spaces.

Under the program "Marrakech, city of permanent renewal" the city will see the preservation of more than 4,000 buildings, the rehabilitation of El Mellah neighbourhood, Ezrayeb and the Achouhada cemetery, as well as the development of tourist and spiritual tours of the old medina of Marrakech.

Fez, the kingdom's spiritual capital, will see the implementation of restoration programs for historic monuments and treatment of buildings threatened by ruin and a focus on the restoration of 27 historical monuments, including madrassas, foundouks, bridges, souks, tanneries, and bordjs.

These programs in Fez will benefit more than 1,600 people (craftsmen, shopkeepers, and students), allowing the restoration of more than 2,200 buildings threatening by ruin in the old medina of Fez.

According to the Minister of the Interior, the new upgrading program of the old medina of Rabat has a budget of about 325 million dirhams, with a contribution from the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development of nearly 250 million dirhams.

The upgrading program of the old medina of Marrakech will cost 484 million dirhams. The Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development will contribute 150 million dirhams. The cost in the medina of Fez is nearly 583 million dirhams, including 100 million as the contribution of the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development.

The Minister of the Interior indicated that HM King Mohammed VI ordered the development of the third phase of the program of habitats threatened by ruin as an integral part of the rehabilitation programme of the old medina of Casablanca with an overall budget of 300 million dirhams financed by the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development.

The Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, Mr. Mohamed Sajid, pointed out that these enhancement programmes are aimed at strengthening the development of the medinas, improving their tourist and cultural attractiveness, the promotion of their civilizational and human heritage, in addition to improving the incomes of artisans and the development of the social economy.

Mr. Sajid said that the program for the old medina of Fes (2018-2023) concerns the rehabilitation of 39 historic sites of economic activity (Foundouks, workshops, souks), 10 mosques and Koranic schools, and the enhancement of 11 historical sites (water clock, museum of Jewish culture) and the restoration of Dar Al Makina. It is also planned that there will be 8 new car parks and the implementation of an electronic information system to enhance the tourist experience.

The minister also said that the upgrading program of the old medina of Marrakech (2018-2022) includes the preservation of historic monuments, the strengthening of the signaling system and lighting network, the establishment of interactive tourist information, and the development of public spaces and 6 car parks, including two underground.

The upgrading program of the old medina of Rabat (2018-2021) will focus on the development of the Place Bab El Had and places close to the central market, the strengthening of the signaling system, the setting up of interactive platforms for tourist information, pavement lanes (8 km), and the creation of two underground car parks in Bab El Had and Bab Chellah, with a total capacity of 1,090 vehicles.

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Harvesting Fog in Morocco

Mist nets for harvesting water from fog have been around for a while and now the technology has come to Morocco. The results are impressive and have changed the lives of the inhabitants of five villages in the southwest of the country, who no longer have to travel several kilometres each day to fetch water.

At 1,225 meters above sea level, on the mountain overlooking Boutmezguida, five villages in the region of Sidi Ifni have installed forty huge nets to take advantage of fog. A fog fence or fog collector is an apparatus for collecting liquid water from fog, using a fine mesh or array of parallel wires. They trap the water droplets, which are then processed, mixed with well water and transported via pipelines to the villagers.

"In a region with semi-arid climate, having water by opening a simple tap is a revolution," says Aissa Derhem, president of the association Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture.

A Douar Id Achour, one of five communities served, women and children previously lost four hours a day on average to make round trips to retrieve well water.

"I filled two 20 litre four times in the day. But these 160 litres were sufficient not even us, because we have cattle! "says Massouda Boukhalfa, 47.

Mist nets in Chile

"Reaping the fog", has been used for more than twenty years in Chile, in the Andes. Developed by the NGO Fog Quest, which has already tested prototypes in several countries (Guatemala, Peru, Namibia, in particular), this is the first use in North Africa.

Symbolically, the water flow in Morocco began for the first time on March 21, World Water Day. Since then  92 homes and nearly 400 people have received running water to their homes.

"Morocco has a lot of fog due to three factors: the presence of an anticyclone, the Azores, a cold sea current and the obstacle represented by the mountain," says Derhem. "It's environmentally friendly and it helps preserve the water table in the region, which we were emptying."

The Dar If Hmad Association now wants to equip the surrounding villages and replace existing nets with new models capable of withstanding winds of 120 km /h.

The nets were built in Morocco with the help of a German foundation.

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Borj Sidi Bounafae Restoration to be Completed in 2015

On Wednesday this week HM King Mohammed VI inspected the restoration work taking place on the historic Borj Sidi Bounafae in Fez

HM King Mohammed VI inspects restoration progress

The project is part of a major campaign costing around 285 million Dirhams (37 million dollars) undertaken restore and rehabilitate historical monuments in the old Medina of Fez.

In 2013 the King made a commitment to preserve the historical and civilizational character of the ancient city that was given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1981. The programme provides for the rehabilitation of 27 historical monuments including Medersas, Borjs, Foundouks, tanneries, walls and bridges.

The Borj restoration is a pilot project in the programme of restoration and rehabilitation of historical monuments whose framework agreements were signed on March 4, 2013 under the chairmanship of HM the King.

The various actions set under this programme are intended to contribute to strengthening tourist attraction of the Fez Medina, improving the built environment, enhancing socio-economic development of the city while preserving the authentic character of the Medina.

Ahmed Al Mansour

Fourteen of the 27 projects planned under this four-year programme (2013-2016) are underway, including the restoration of Borj Sidi Bounafae, built in 1550 by Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour Assaadi.

The Borj was originally built to strengthen Fez' defence capabilities against external threats but it will now be converted into a museum. The work is expected to be completed by the middle of 2015 and cost 10.2 million Dirhams (1.3 million dollars)

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ADER Announces 30 Million Euro Renovation Programme for Fez Medina

The 30 Million Euro project was announced on Thursday by the Agency for Development and Rehabilitation (Ader). The project, released to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Ader, should be a welcome injection of funds into restoration of the Fez Medina

Building collapse in Hay Hassani last year

The Medina of Fez was classified back in the 1980s as World Heritage by UNESCO and the new funding will be targeted at 3,666 houses threatening to collapse. Some 143 buildings may have to be destroyed and the remainder restored. It is to be hoped it will be sympathetic restoration and not merely a matter of completely rebuilding as has happened in some of the fonduk restorations

 Last year, according to Ader figures, some 4,000 Medina houses were in danger of collapse. Each year the spring weather and rain causes collapses in the Medina.

Building collapse in Meknes 2013

Other old cities in Morocco facing the same problem of buildings are threatening to fall into ruins, include those of Meknes, Rabat and Casablanca.  The government estimates that more than 114,000 homes are affected throughout the kingdom.

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Atlas Lions on the Come-back Trail?

The Barbary lion (Panthera leo leo), also known as the Atlas lion is a subspecies of lion that became extinct in the wild in the 20th century. Its former habitat range was in North Africa encompassing the region from Morocco to Egypt. And over the last few years there have been growing calls for the reintroduction of the Babrary lion to the wild in Morocco.

What makes this extraordinary is that there are many scientists who believe the lion is extinct. Yet others claim there are 90 lions alive in zoos including 35 in Rabat.

The Moroccan Ministry of Water and Forests had raised the matter in 2000, with the growing awareness of the danger threatening this species.

The reintroduction of the Atlas lions in their natural sphere is deemed a long-term project that would necessitate both significant human and financial efforts to achieve it.

The former popularity of the Barbary Lion as a zoo animal provides the only hope to ever see it again in the wild in North Africa. Many zoos provide mating programmes, which will help to increase the population of the species.

After years of research into the science of the Barbary Lion and stories of surviving examples, WildLink International, in collaboration with Oxford University, launched their ambitious International Barbary Lion Project.

Oxford used the very latest DNA techniques to identify the DNA 'fingerprint' of the Barbary Lion subspecies. Researchers took bone samples from remains of Barbary Lions in museums across Europe. These samples were returned to Oxford University where the science team extracted the DNA sequence which identified the Barbary as a separate subspecies.

Although the Barbary may be extinct, and is certainly extinct in the wild, WildLink International looked to identify a handful of lions in captivity around the world that may be descended from the original Barbary Lion. These descendants were to be tested against the DNA fingerprint and the degree of any hybridization (from crossbreeding) can then be determined. The best candidates were to then enter a selective breeding programme slated to 'breed back' the Barbary Lion. The final phase of the project intended to see the lions released into a National Park in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

As of March 2010, two alleged barbary lion cubs have been moved to 'The Texas Zoo' in Victoria, Texas where efforts are being made to preserve the endangered species under the WildLink International conservation programme

In Morocco a protected area of 10,000 hectares has allegedly been defined in a sparsely populated area in order to build this ambitious project.

As recently as last week La Vie Eco was writing that "Moroccan civil society has been mobilized recently in support of the kingdom’s mountain lions". There is reportedly an internet a petition circulating calling for the reintroduction of the atlas lions to their natural environment, which proponents say is Morocco’s Atlas mountains.

The main sources of natural prey for the predators of the Atlas Mountains were Barbary Stag and gazelle. Another particular favorite, and somewhat easier target, were the herds of cows and sheep kept by man. The method of hunting was never documented, but it is believed that they used the same death by strangulation method as do the other big cats of the world.


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Understanding Hammam Heritage

Hammam al Hussaynia - Cairo 2008 (Photo: Dr. Magda Sibley)

A lecture this Wednesday at 5 PM at the American Language Center will explore the architectural and cultural significance of the hammam

Hammams, or bath-houses are an important part of Moroccan culture; in common with other countries such as Turkey and those in the Middle East. They are not only a place where people can relax and socialise while getting clean, but also have architectural significance.

On Wednesday Dr Magda Sibley, from the Manchester Architecture Research Centre at The University Of Manchester, will deliver a lecture, Learning from the past, innovating for the future: Lessons of Sustainability from Courtyard Housing & Public Baths in North African and Middle Eastern Heritage Cities.

Dr Sibley has been researching hammams and courtyard housing in the heritage cities of North Africa and the Middle East from 2007 and 2012, and has written books and lectured widely about them. Her research examines how these two types of buildings, inherited from Roman times, have contributed to cultural, social and environmental urban sustainability and how they can be of benefit in the future.

She teaches architecture and urbanism and her approach aims to increase students' awareness of buildings as part of urban landscapes and contexts rather than single sculptural objects.

When: Wednesday March 27 at 5 PM
Where: American Language Center, Room 1, 2 Rue Ahmed Hiba

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Earth Hour in Morocco - Switch Off Your Lights!

Earth Hour is a global climate change initiative. It is an event that aims to create awareness of people taking responsibility towards a sustainable future by turning the lights off. And it comes to Morocco at 8.30 tonight when Moroccans are urged to turn off all electric lights. But how many will do so? 

Millions of people turn off their lights for Earth Hour at 8.30pm (20:30) in their local times on the last Saturday of March. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Europe to Asia to the Americas have stood in darkness during previous Earth Hours. Some people enjoy Earth Hour with a candle-lit dinner or a candle-lit bath, while others host large events or parties, either in darkness or with candles, to celebrate Earth Hour.

Businesses and government organizations, as well as community and political leaders also take part in Earth Hour. It's about giving people a voice on the planet’s future and working together to create a sustainable low carbon future for planet earth.

Morocco's response is unfortunately low key

As part of a global movement to raise awareness about climate change and energy conservation, the association Ribat al Fath for Sustainable Development has organised a small demonstration between 20:00 and 21:00 in the space located in front of the council buildings of  Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer.

It is unclear if any single municipality in the entire country has arranged to switch power off for Earth hour.

Hopefully guesthouse owners and other tourist organisers will take the lead and join the global community. An hour of candlelight in a Moroccan riad would be a beautiful experience.

Background

Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007. This event saw 2.2 million homes and businesses turn their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change that year. Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating in 2008. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, the CN Tower in Toronto, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness for Earth Hour. In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour.

WWF, which organizes the annual Earth Hour event, aims to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment. It also focuses on building a future where people live in harmony with nature. The organization functions through a network of more than 90 offices in more than 40 countries worldwide. Its first office was founded in Morges, Switzerland, on September 11, 1961.



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Change of Ownership for Dar Tassa Eco Lodge

Back in 2009 The View from Fez was fortunate enough to be guests at the wonderful Dar Tassa Eco Lodge located an hour and a half from Marrakech (see our story here). Now we have news that the lodge has been sold to an English tour operator, Specialist Morocco

Dar Tassa, is an eco-friendly mountain lodge tucked away in a superb location on the edge of Toubkal National Park and sleeps a total of 21 people in eight rooms, each furnished in a rustic Berber country style. Rooms are available to rent individually or groups can take over the entire property; ideal for celebrating a special birthday, anniversary, Christmas or New Year.

Dar Tassa has a resident manager, Mohamed Ouarra, who spent much of 2012 looking after the property. Prior to that, he was trained and employed at Riad Africa, also owned by Specialist Morocco and located in central Marrakech in the Medina. Dar Tassa still retains the services of  the highly-skilled, in-house cook, Fatima, who prepares traditional Berber and Moroccan meals.

Nick Anstead, founder of Specialist Morocco says: “Dar Tassa is a wonderful property in a dramatic location. It is completely off the beaten track in a hidden corner of the High Atlas Mountains yet offers superb walking for all levels of ability; from gentle strolls along the valley to more challenging treks from the front door all the way to Mount Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa.

“We will be refurbishing some of the rooms and adding a plunge pool and two family suites over the coming months. It is currently a comfortable mountain lodge but we want to put it on a par with our two properties in Marrakech, Riad Africa and Maison Africa, which we consider to be two of the most authentic and best value riads in the Old City. The operating of all three properties will be overseen by British ex-pat Peter Mercer, from our Marrakech office.”

Other facilities at Dar Tassa include a large panoramic terrace surrounded by high peaks with views of the tranquil Azzadene valley and Assif n’Ouissadene river, a Berber tent for afternoon siestas; a traditional Beldi hammam, a lounge and dining room – with open fires for winter evenings, a purpose-built kitchen for cookery classes and even a telescope for star-gazing in the often crystal-clear skies over the mountains.

Activities that can be arranged by Specialist Morocco include private guided day walks (with overnight accommodation for longer High Atlas treks), small group treks, 4x4 discovery tours, buggy adventures, quad and mountain biking.

For those who previously experienced the beauty of Dar Tassa, be aware that prices have climbed somewhat. A three-night ‘Atlas Experience’ costs from £289 pp (based on 4 sharing). This includes three nights’ half-board, private transfers to and from Marrakech, a guided day walk with lunch in Toubkal National Park plus a half-day Berber experience tour.

For further information, visit specialistmorocco.com
All photographs: Sandy McCutcheon 

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Moroccan Tourism Off to a Good Start in 2013

The new year has started well for the tourism industry with a 3% rise in January 2013 compared to January 2012. Visitors from Spain showed a positive trend with 8% growth, 2% for Germany, 7% from the UK and 2% and 4% for Belgium and Holland.

In contrast, the French market showed no growth but remained stable.

Overnight stays in registered accommodation establishments increased by 14% in January 2013 compared to the same period of 2012. The majority of Moroccan tourist destinations showed an increase of overnight stays. Marrakech and Agadir were up respectively 20% and 15%. Casablanca rose by 3%, Ouarzazate by 7% and Fez did particularly well with an increase of 16%.

A concerted push into the European market continues with the CEO of Moroccan Tourism, Imad Barrakad and several stakeholders involved in the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF), exhibiting and holding tourism investment meetings in Berlin from 4 to 6 March. The purpose of this venture is to strengthen Morocco's image among investors of the European continent and also with the major international operators in the sector.

Agadir is to get a boost from Egyptian conglomerate Amer Group which has announced the signing of a framework agreement with the Ministry of Tourism of Morocco to develop the project "Porto Agadir" which covers an area of 1.2 million m2, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. This project aims to develop a new tourism in Morocco with a focus on families. At completion Porto Agadir will include amusement parks, hotels, shopping centres, cinemas and various activities and entertainment for children.

HM The King Presides Over Signing Of Agreements On Restoration Of Historical Monuments, Addressing Buildings In Danger Of Collapse In Fez

Fez is also set to benefit after HM King Mohammed VI yesterday presided over a signing ceremony at Place R'cif. The signing ceremony was of agreements on the restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings, as well as treatment of derelict buildings, located within the the Fez Medina.

At the ceremony the Minister of Housing, Urban Planning and Urban Policy, Mohamed Nabil Benabdellah, presented to the Sovereign a presentation on the program, which will involve an investment of the order of 285 5 million DH and focus on the rehabilitation of 5 Medersas, 4 Borjs, 3 Foundouks, 3 tanneries, 2 Walls, 2 Bridges and 8 various monuments including the library Al Quaraouiyine.

The new programme, which covers the period 2013-2017, includes work on 3666 buildings in danger of collapse in the Medina. he said.

Under the direction of the Agency for Rehabilitation and Densification of Fez (ADER-Fes), there will be, under the first convention, processing about 1,729 buildings (1st degree), with a contribution from the State for the benefit of people affected, while 1,937 buildings (2nd and 3rd degree) will receive a follow-up according to their degree of dangerousness. A budget of almost 330 million DH was mobilized in the framework of this agreement, which covers a period of 5 years from 2013.

The second agreement providing for an investment of 285.5 million dirhams, for the restoration of 27 monuments which will be integrated in the areas of tourism, crafts, economic and cultural.

After the ceremony the King made a walking tour through the Medina streets to visit the monuments that will be rehabilitated, including the Khrachfiyine Bridge, the Medersa Mohammadia, the Medersa Seffarine, the Souk Sebbaghine and the Terrafine Bridge.

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So, You Want to Restore a House in Fez?

Christina Ammon is a travel writer who recently spent several months in Fez. In a fine article written for Oregonlive, Christina explores the often complex issue of restoration in the Fez Medina. We republish an excerpt, with permission.

photo: Christina Ammon

Restoration in Fez, Morocco, is a balancing act

The 1,200-year-old Medina in Fez, Morocco, may be car-free -- but taking in its exotic sights while hopscotching around donkey droppings is the pedestrian equivalent of distracted driving. I'm overwhelmed: drawn toward a pyramid of bright lemons, repelled by a heap of steamed snails; enamoured of silver teapots, then shocked to come face to face with a severed camel head hooked on a butcher's booth.

I'm on my way to meet David Amster. Although the American expat directs Fez's Arabic Language School, his passion for "old things" puts him squarely amid recent efforts to restore the Medina.

Fès-el-Bali ("Old Fès") was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1981. It's easy to see why: Among its 9,500 alleyways are stunning mosques, the world's oldest university and lively souks, or markets. Fès-el-Bali is considered the best-preserved medieval city in the Arab world, the cultural equivalent of an old-growth forest.

But the centuries are taking a toll. As I tread the uneven cobblestone toward Amster's house, I note the ageing physical structure of the Medina. Shop doors are askew. Hand-chiseled tiles called zellij are faded and chipped. Old wooden beams collect the dust of ages. But while in some places the wear and tear adds to the aesthetic, in other places it's precarious: Ceilings bow, and walls fissure. Some structures look downright dangerous and, in fact, are. Houses in the Medina regularly collapse, resulting in fatalities.

More often than not, local residents lack the money to make major repairs. Fortunately, the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Moroccan government, working with the local agency ADER-Fès, are helping fund the preservation of the Medina. On a smaller scale, foreigners are restoring riads (traditional houses with courtyards), often turning them into hotels or -- as in Amster's case -- private residences.

But as the overhauls proceed, restorationists confront an important question: How do you usher a medieval town into the 21st century without turning it into a museum for tourists?

I pass a rose water seller, hop a puddle and press against a wall to let a donkey pass before finally arriving at Amster's 250-year-old riad. Inside is the most glorious bachelor pad I've ever seen.

From his courtyard, we gaze up to an open three-tiered structure. Daylight pours through the open roof, highlighting wrought-iron railings and embossed wooden door frames. What the house lacks in basic amenities (like a working kitchen), it makes up in small wonders. A stone wash basin sculpted from a Roman column sits upended on the floor, and a collection of old wooden doors leans against a wall. There are a mortar and pestle, a Sufi money box, an old butter churn and a stone carved toilet seat in the corner.

"I'd offer you a drink," Amster says after our tour. But true to bachelor form, there's nothing in the fridge except a stack of antique textiles. "Keeps the moths off," he explains.

Before we set off to his favorite cafe, I point to a deep fissure over the door. "Not all cracks are evil," he explains. Vertical cracks are stable, whereas horizontal cracks are prone to buckling.

Amster is a purist when it comes to restoration and believes in doing just enough to stabilise the structures and little more. He sees beauty in the Medina's time-ripened walls: the deep stratas of peeling plaster and paint, the weather stains of rainstorms and the crystals that form when lime seeps through and collects on the facade. In Amster's view, a scuff mark left by an overloaded donkey rounding a corner too sharply or a worn-out zellij step in front of a mosque is not a blemish. It's heritage worth preserving. Not everyone agrees.

"In some ways the preservation of the old is an elitist concern," he concedes as we walk toward the cafe. The average Medina housewife would happily swap out her zellij countertop for easy-to-clean tiles and modern accoutrements. Better still, she'd prefer having enough money to move out of the dark Medina to the wide, bright streets of the surrounding Ville Nouvelle, or New City. "Moroccans generally don't think of old and worn as cool," Amster notes.

Read the full article here: Restoration in the Fez Medina

Christina recommends further reading: For a glimpse into Moroccan culture and into challenges and rewards of restoring a Medina riad, A House in Fez by Suzanna Clarke is an enjoyable, fun and rewarding read.


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Can Casablanca's Heritage be Saved?

When the French seized Casablanca in the early 1900s, they turned the historic Moroccan port into a classic of colonial architecture. In the decades since real-estate development and property speculation have reshaped the cityand preservationists are increasingly fretting about what will become of the crumbling French colonial facades, neo-Moorish details and Art Deco hotels.

"We've got to act fast," said Karim Rouissi, vice-president of Casamemoire, an association to protect the city's old buildings. "There are buildings that are in a state of advanced disrepair."

Among the casualties is the famous Piot-Templier building. It was constructed in 1925 by architect Pierre Ancelle and was alongside the Hotel Lincoln. It housed the well-known Templier china shop and upstairs, the famous restaurant Etoile de Marrakech.

Etoile de Marrakech before and after

Casamémoire reports that many culturally-important buildings are being destroyed to make way for yet more concrete block constructions, and they describe this is as very short-term thinking. Many Casablanca buildings have met the same fate as Piot-Templier - schools like the Ibn Tofail college, villas such as the important Villa Cadet in Oasis, and factories such as Hamelle, while others are in danger of imminent destruction.

It seems odd that on the one hand, the authorities seem to recognise the importance of the rich cultural heritage of Casablanca by deciding to retain the Bessoneau building (Hotel Lincoln) and yet on the other, approve the demolition of Piot-Templier. And all this while the application for recognition of Casablanca as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is being considered.

The old Lincoln Hotel is another case in point. Created in 1916 by the French architect Hubert Bride a few metres from the central market, the Arabesque Art Deco building was used by American spies during World War II.

The hotel closed in 1989 and today is in ruins, with only its facade surviving though this too is breaking apart.

Rouissi says much of Casablanca was built as an experiment in early 20th century urban planning and today there are about 4,000 buildings in need of help.

Real-estate developers often look to buy historic properties, tear them down and build more modern apartment buildings through which they can charge higher rents and recoup expenses.

Part of the problem, Rouissi said, is that tenants in existing apartment buildings pay very low, fixed rents and landlords are only able to remove tenants if they pay a hefty relocation cost of about 50,000 euros ($66,000).

Developers have been known to have a cosy relationship with local officials and building demolitions are sometimes rubber-stamped.

"Rebuilding is done at the expense of the city and its heritage," said Rouissi, whose association is hoping Casablanca will be ranked as a UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site.

Though local authorities have been slow to act in the past and there is no national strategy to preserve architectural heritage, they are becoming more responsive to preservationist pleas, Rouissi said.

Some of the city's rapid redevelopment can be seen along the Boulevard Mohamed V, one of the city's oldest roads. Today, much of the street has become a construction site for a future tram line, though architecture buffs still flock to the area to look at old buildings.

In the historic town centre, a short distance from the ancient medina, or old Arab quarter, the famous Excelsior Hotel has become one of the hippest cafes in Casablanca, a diverse city of about five million residents and the beating heart of Morocco's economy.

The Excelsior is adorned with a whitewashed colonial facade, built by French architect Hippolyte-Joseph Delaporte in 1916 and decorated with Spanish tile.

Across the road is the main entrance to the medina, the ancient city where Jews, Muslims and Christians co-existed for years, where an old Catholic church is today being converted into a cultural centre.

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Fountain Restoration in the Fez Medina

The Fonduk Lihoudi fountain in the north of the Medina is the latest of the many neglected fountains in the Fez Medina to be restored, thanks to the riad booking agency, Fez Riads.

Fez Riads was set up with the express intention of supporting restoration work in the Fez Medina carried out in a private capacity. This work has been going on since back in December 2006, funded by the guesthouses represented by Fez Riads, with each of the guesthouses contributing a minimum of 2% of clients' accommodation costs to the restoration fund.

The fountain before

The fountain after repair work

Noureddine Hilal

The Fonduk Lihoudi fountain is the largest project undertaken so far and was completed in eleven days by the Zelliji and plasterer Noureddine Hilal from the restoration company T2M. 

The work involved not only massive cleaning of mould and calcification, but also replacement of missing zellij, and repair of large chunks of plaster that had been damaged by fire.

This is important work and much appreciated by local Fez residents. Fez Riads and the T2M team are to be congratulated.

Important Breakthrough for Moroccan Bird Life

A workshop to develop a roadmap for the transition of BirdLife engagement in Morocco from a country programme to the typical NGO representation was held at the Hotel Ibis in Rabat over the last few days. The outcomes amount to good news for those working preserve bird life in the region.

The BirdLife Partnership has been active in Morocco for more than 15 years through a Country Programme managed initially by BirdLife International, then by RSPB, and later by SEO/BirdLife, with the engagement of other BirdLife Supporting Partners and the BirdLife Africa Secretariat. This has always been in close cooperation with the Moroccan authorities, particularly the High Commission of Water and Forest and Fight against Desertification . In keeping with its vision for developing national capacity, BirdLife International has had a long standing desire for the transition of the representation of the Partnership in Morocco from a country programme to a national Moroccan NGO.

Various efforts have since taken place towards this goal, involving the Council for the Africa Partnership, SEO/BirdLife, RSPB and VBN and the BirdLife Africa Secretariat. These interested parties developed a project titled “Strengthening BirdLife in Morocco: Conservation strategy and NGO development”, through which a plan and set activities were started in 2010, with the aim of transforming BirdLife representation in Morocco to a national NGO by 2012.

“A strong foundation has been set in the transition of the representation of BirdLife in Morocco from a country programme to NGO “ remarked Fred Wouters, Director of VBN and member of the BirdLife Global Council who participated at a workshop to work out modalities for the collaboration between the BirdLife Morocco Programme and GREPOM. “The pace of transition now rests with GREPOM and the BirdLife Morocco programme, who must work with the BirdLife Africa Partnership and Secretariat to signal when they are ready to advance towards BirdLife affiliation”.

“We have already lost a lot of time and wasted efforts working separately in the conservation of biodiversity in Morocco” remarked Prof. Mohammed Dakki, President of GREPOM while accepting to the road map. “ By bringing together the capacities of GREPOM and the BirdLife Morocco Programme and the international support from BirdLife, we will achieve much more conservation impact for birds and people in Morocco”.

“This workshop can be likened to the start of a courtship leading to a marriage between GREPOM and the BirdLife Morocco Programme to become one member of the BirdLife family” remarked Julius Arinaitwe, who delivered the message to Prof. Mohammed Dakki. “The letter can be considered as the blessing from the parents for the courtship to begin, and we are all looking forward to the wedding, when a BirdLife Affiliate in Morocco will be recognized”.

A visibly elated Asuncion Riuz, Director of SEO/BirdLife could not hide her pleasure. “This is a very happy occasion for SEO/BirdLife, who under a mandate from BirdLife Global Council is responsible for the BirdLife programme in Morocco. For a long time, we have worked hard to get the local capacity in place to lead in the very important bird Conservation issues in Morocco. This workshop is a concrete step in realizing this dream. We will continue to work hard, together with other partners , to support this initiative as much as possible for however long it takes. ”

 

 Photograph of Owl on Mt Zerhoune by Jearld F Moldenhauer,

courtesy Dar Balmira Gallery, Gzira Fes Medina. (Click image to enlarge)

Several presentation helped to set the scene, with a key one by Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson, Assistant Director in charge of Network and Capacity Development, who explained BirdLife International and the key criteria that have to be met by GREPOM to become a BirdLife Affiliate and advance within the BirdLife Partnership. Dr Imad Cherkaoui presented a draft roadmap that has three phases, the first one focused on collaboration between BirdLife Morocco Programme and GREPOM, the second looking at admission of GREPOM as the BirdLife Affiliate for Morocco and the Country programme acting as a Secretariat for GREPOM and the final stage with the Country Programme fully integrated within GREPOM. This is a process that will take some time, and good collaboration.

Morocco offers a tremendous diversity of habitats and climates which support a wide range of interesting species plants (almost 4000 recognised plants of which 17% are endemic), butterflies, amphibians reptiles (50% more than in the whole of Europe), mammals and, most notably, birds with 481 bird species.
Morocco harbours the last wild breeding colonies in the world of Geronticus eremita (CR), a formerly widespread species, and until recently, was a regular wintering site for small numbers of Numenius tenuirostris (CR). There are globally significant breeding and wintering populations of marmaronetta angustirostris (VU) and Falco naumanni (VU), and significant wintering populations of Lerus audonimii (CD).

Morocco is a bottleneck of a main migration route between Europe and Africa for tens of millions of western Palearctic migrants. Up to 200,000 raptors and 90,000 storks and Cranes have been recorded passing across the Straits of Gibraltar at Jbel Moussa in northern morocco. Most of the coastal wetlands and many of the inland waters are crucial resting and refueling stops, or overwintering sites, for water birds using the ‘Atlantic Coastal Flyway’ that descends the western seaboard of continental Europe and Africa from Norway to Senegal and beyond. A total of 46 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) is identified covering 30,338 km2, equivalent to 4.3% of the country’s land area.

Disgust at Casablanca Art Deco Demolition

In September, The View from Fez published a story on the architectural heritage of Casablanca (see the story here), where we drew attention to the fact that the city has a wealth of Mauresque and art deco buildings. Now that heritage has taken a major blow.

The beautiful Piot-Templier building

In January this year the heritage association, Casamémoire, informed us that the administrative Tribunal of Casablanca had authorised the demolition of the beautiful Piot-Templier building situated on the corner on Boulevard Mohamed V and Rue Chaouia, opposite the Marche Central. The puzzling thing about that decision was that the very same building had been placed on the Historical Monument list by the Minister of Culture.

Now comes the sad news that, despite being on the Historical Monument list, the building has been demolished.

"What is disgusting is they did this under cover of the weekend starting late on Friday - obviously as a way to create a fait accompli" - local resident

The reaction in Casablanca and beyond has been one of anger and disgust

"Destruction of the building Piot-Templar - heritage bleeding continues." - Aufait Morocco

The Piot-Templier building was constructed in 1925 by architect Pierre Ancelle and was alongside the Hotel Lincoln. It housed the well-known Templier china shop and upstairs, the famous restaurant Etoile de Marrakech.

Etoile de Marrakech before and after

Casamémoire reports that many culturally-important buildings are being destroyed to make way for yet more concrete block constructions, and they describe this is as very short-term thinking. Many Casablanca buildings have met the same fate as Piot-Templier - schools like the Ibn Tofail college, villas such as the important Villa Cadet in Oasis, and factories such as Hamelle, while others are in danger of imminent destruction.

It seems odd that on the one hand, the authorities seem to recognise the importance of the rich cultural heritage of Casablanca by deciding to retain the Bessoneau building (Hotel Lincoln) and yet on the other, approve the demolition of Piot-Templier. And all this while the application for recognition of Casablanca as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is being considered.

Casamémoire had started a petition to help save the building but alas, this has failed.

The fact that the building was demolished in spite of a stay initiated by the governor indicates that governance in Casablanca is a mess. As one local tourism operator told The View from Fez "... when things like this happen one feels helpless. Sadly, these vultures move quickly and I can only capture for you the void where once stood a lovely piece of architecture. The cronyism and corruption that permit things like this to happen has to stop".

According to Casamémoire the demolition of the Piot Templier building was..."Not so amazing if you live in Casablanca and elections are coming up - Mayor Sajid approved the destruction, which was done stealthily, beginning Friday night, in spite of a ban on demolitions in the historic district signed by the Governor of the Arrondissement. Now a six-story office building will replace some of Casa's history".

Casamémoire says such aberrations are not lacking in Casablanca! "Saving the Lincoln Hotel, which threatens to collapse at any moment and destroying an old building that was still standing, is absurd, even reckless.

"We are disappointed that the building is being destroyed, while in January, the governor had issued an order forbidding the demolition of prefectural historic buildings in the territory of the prefecture," said a Casamémoire spokesperson.

How was permission to demolish issued? It is odd, given the protection decisions given by various courts According to Abderrahim Kassou, president of Casamémoire, "Sajid has decided to allow the demolition of the building to ground floor plus one floor on behalf of the real estate company Mouyasmama. But it is not only whether the demolition is legal or not, but whether the state at large, really wants to act for the preservation and enhancement of our heritage ".

PHOTO TIMELINE OF DESTRUCTION

Friday - the destruction begins

Saturday morning and the top has gone

Sunday and the damage is done

a lone dancer grieves

And the protesters begin to gather

"I am stunned and saddened that Mayor Sajid has allowed this demolition even after a hold had been put in place by the Governor. I hope there will be an official explanation as to how this could be justified." -  Kathy Kriger Rick's Cafe Casablanca

LINKS

Aufait Morocco's article.

Casamemoire.org "Association for the Protection of the architectural heritage of the twentieth century in Morocco"

High-tech solution for ancient problem

A clever invention offers an easy solution for reducing humidity in the walls of traditional houses. The words “rising damp” are enough to send a chill through any owner of an ancient house. As renovators of riads or dars know, getting rid of damp patches in the walls can be time consuming, difficult and expensive. Now an invention is available in Morocco that has been used successfully in Europe to protect thousands of heritage buildings.

Riad Fes

Thierry Dutrannoy, who manages the renovation branch of Fes Real Estate, has recently recommended the installation of the Mur-tronic device in two local houses, including Riad Fes.  “Old houses here were almost always built without a damp course,” he explains. “If the ground beneath the structure is wet, the walls absorb it like a piece of paper soaking up ink. The damp often rises about a metre and a half up the wall.” This not only leads to an unpleasant feeling of humidity in rooms, but to an increase in the deterioration of plaster and furnishings and a rise in insect pest activity.

Architect Bertrand Tezenas, who represents Mur-tronic in Morocco, says since he moved to Marrakesh eight years ago he has been aware that damp walls in old Moroccan houses are a significant problem. “There is nothing you can do to the wall itself to treat it. Coating it with a waterproof material, or building a second wall, simply traps the humidity. There is another product, which involves drilling a hole in the wall every 15 cms and injecting it with a chemical, but you can’t do this in all cases and it is very expensive.”

Architect Bertrand Tezenas

Tezenas said he came across the Mur-tronic system when he did a workshop in ecological building in France in 2009. “It was invented 27 years ago by Bernard Stumpp from Alsace...It’s been used in Europe in more than 10,000 buildings, mainly in France.”

The Mur-tronic device consists of a black box, which can be retro-fitted.

So how does the system work? Tezenas explains that the mineral salts in groundwater are electrically charged. The Mur-tronic device emits a small electric current which changes the polarity of the moisture in the wall, so it repels rather than attracts the water beneath a building.

However, the device does not require being hooked up to mains power. “Electromagnetic energy is also the source of power for this box,” said Tezenas.

When The View from Fez expressed some incredulity, he responded, “I don’t understand exactly how the internet works, but it works. The source of power for the device is the variation of the electromagnetic field and this variation amplifies the electrical current already present in the wall, which makes the water rise higher in the walls. The device acts as a receiver of this variation and emits back a counter-variation, for lack of better word, and therefore stops the water from ascending which, then by gravity, goes down.”

Although it is too early to tell the results from the two Fez houses where Mur-tronic has been installed, Tezenas cites an example of a Marrakesh property where the moisture in the walls has been reduced from 17% to 11.5% in the six months since installation. “A correct humidity reading would be a maximum of 6%,” he said. He estimates it will reach this in another few months.

Although retro-fitting is possible, the best time to have the device fitted is during construction. And the cost? “Depending on how big the area is we need to treat, it ranges from 15,000 to 70,000 dirhams for a house, which includes monitoring after installation. It’s 30% cheaper here than in France.” And the bonus is happy neighbours – those with shared walls benefit as well.

The Details:


Bertrand Tezenas, director of Dream Haouz, can be contacted on 0667 047 969 or contact@murtronic.ma. Website: www.murtronic.ma

Morocco - making the animals anxious?

If you are taking a day trip out of Fez, or coming back from a day in the cool up in Ifran, it might be a good thing to heed the warnings about the Macaques (Barbary apes). Some years ago, coming through Tizi Tioumliline and on the track beside the Oued Sebbab that leads you back to Azrou I stopped for a quiet Macaque chat and while I was thus engaged another launched itself onto my back. This not an experience to be recommended.

But now, according to the journal Biological Conservation, a study reveals that Macaques at a site regularly visited by tourists showed signs of anxiety when people got too close, fed them or tried to attract their attention for a photograph.

The scientists monitored the monkeys' behaviour and also tested the animals' droppings for stress hormones.

"There's been a lot of interest, recently, in tourism and how it affects wild animal populations," explained Dr Stuart Semple, a scientist who specialises in the study of primates at the University of Roehampton in London, UK. "But while there are studies that show tourism does affect animal behaviour, we've tried to look at it much more directly, and to actually measure their levels of anxiety."

Macaque taking a time-check

Laetitia Marechal, also from Roehampton, led the study.

She and her colleagues studied 50 days of tourist-monkey interactions at Ifrane National Park in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

A population of macaques here has become habituated to the regular visits of tourists for at least five years.

"The more tourists there were, the more anxious the macaques would become," said Dr Semple.

"Just like humans, macaques scratch themselves when they're nervous or anxious, so we use this [scratching behaviour] as a measure of their level of anxiety."

The researchers divided the interactions into three categories: feeding; neutral, which included taking photographs of the monkeys; and aggression, including the less common incidences of tourists throwing things at the macaques or physically striking them.

My opinion? Nah, I'm sitting on the fence...

"All three types of interactions seemed to make the monkeys anxious," said Dr Semple.

For the record,i t is thought there are fewer than 6,000 Barbary Macaques left in the wild. They are found mainly in mountainous regions of Algeria and Morocco.

While I agree with the scientists, I have to say that having a Macaque on my back, holding on to my ears and riding me like a small jockey on a pony, also made me anxious.