The vernacular facade as a contemporary urban issue case of the Bâlima hotel in Rabat
Authors: BERDOUZ Karima 
Published: January 2025

Abstract. Moroccan vernacular architecture is much more than a simple object, it is a process of continuous evolution, where spatial, human, and temporal dimensions intersect. Anchored in its geographical and cultural context, it reflects the lifestyles, available materials, and ancestral techniques of a community. Vernacular architecture is not decoration, it is the result of an ingenious adaptation of man to his environment. Between 1912 and 1940, Morocco experienced a new period in designing public space [1,2,3] the urban facade became the main vector of a new image of the city, exposing the know-how of local crafts while opening up more to the public space as imagined by the administration of the French protectorate present in Morocco at this period. This movement of "staging" of architecture has sparked rich debates, between preservation of vernacular identity and adaptation to the demands of modernity. Architecture evolved, gradually abandoning traditional Moroccan styles to adopt more modern European influences. However, this transition also gave rise to an architectural movement specific to Morocco: the "Arabisance movement" [4], which attempted to create a "hybrid" architectural style, seeking to adapt Moroccan vernacular forms and details to European requirements. The study of the Bâlima hotel in Rabat, through the prism of its emblematic facade, invites us to reflect on the means of reconciling progress and preservation, of bringing the past and the present into dialogue to shape cities in the image of rich Moroccan traditions. The facade is not a simple object, but the reflection of an energy in constant metamorphosis, of an identity in perpetual reinvention. Our reflection will revolve around Moroccan vernacular architecture. Architecture perhaps never has truly completed form. It is becoming a perpetual movement, where matter and spirit constantly intertwine. The vernacular is a process in progress, a complex alchemy where spatial, human, and temporal dimensions combine. Vernacular architecture, in its very essence, embodies the most authentic expression of the constructive traditions and local know-how of a given region. Anchored in its geographical and cultural context, it reflects the lifestyles, available materials, and ancestral techniques specific to a community. Far from being a simple decoration, this vernacular architecture is the result of an ingenious adaptation of man to his environment, guided by practical, social, and aesthetic imperatives. Moroccan vernacular architecture was profoundly reinterpreted and reinvented to respond to the urban challenges of the pivotal period of the French Protectorate, between 1912 and 1940. This transition marked an important turning point in the way of thinking and shaping public space, confronting Moroccan vernacular architecture as new influences and aspirations. While the traditional medinas kept an introverted and intimate approach to housing [5], the urban facade of the new city became the main vector of a new image of the city, exposing local artisanal know-how while opening more onto public space. This movement of "staging" of architecture has sparked rich debates, between preservation of vernacular identity and adaptation to the demands of modernity. This period was marked by the arrival of French architects and town planners responsible for reorganizing urban space according to the principles of modern planning. Cities like Rabat, Casablanca, and Fez have seen the birth of new districts designed according to orthogonal plans, facade alignments [6], and public spaces inspired by Haussmannian town planning.