Moroccan Transgression - "Bridging"

This was a 3 Day group project that we did whilst in Marrakech. (Group members - Paul Craven-Bartle, Josh Kievenaar and Sam Sclater-Brookes)

For this three day project we were required to work together in groups and design an urban intervention within or touching the city walls of the medina in Marrakech. This intervention had to literally or metaphorically represent the idea of “bridging” between cultures, places, times, faith systems or any other thematic framework. The intervention had to site within a 3 meter cube and had to address the scales of the hand, the body and the city.

When we wandered through the medina at night, we noticed homeless men sleeping rough in the doorways to the shops. We decided to address this by creating a space for a homeless person to dwell. We chose to locate this intervention within one of the towers by the west gate of the medina wall. This intervention could be repeated in any of the towers that are situated along the medina wall.

The lower floor would become their new home, and the upper floor would provide a source of income for the homeless person. A walkway cuts through the 3 meter cube in the centre of the tower and passes through a timber post and beam structure. This is covered in fabric forming a tent construction and marks out the boundaries of the cube. Within this cube people can escape the hustle of the medina and relax for a short while in a tranquil environment whilst sharing a mint tea with the homeless person. The homeless person prepares the tea on a small hearth in the centre of the cube. This hearth can be lowered at night so the homeless person can stay warm. The water for the tea is collected from the water bowl using a vessle that has been crafted to fit the shape of a clasping hand.