PLace Lalla Yeddouna

Function:
Urban Planning

Location:
Fez, Morocco

Year: 2010

Type:
International Open Competition
in two Phases

Design: Christoph Opperer, Jens Mehlan, Jörg Hugo

Project Team:
Alexander Kareivanov,
Jose Carlos Lopez Cervantes

Client:
Agency for the Development
and Rehabilitation of the city of Fez

Gross Floor Plan Area:
10531 m²

Gross Volume:
32097 m³

Footprint Area:
4254m²

Bin Lamdoun – (In)Between Two Cities
Linking El-Qarawiyin and el-Andalus

The project site around Place Lalla Yeddouna stands out within the surrounding urban fabric with its prominent location at the river and at the very heart of the Medina. There is no doubt it represents a truly unique cultural heritage that must be preserved; at the same time however, it urgently needs to adapt to current and future demands: The living conditions of its inhabitants need to be improved, the site needs to accommodate an increasing number of visitors etc. In short: The site faces the big challenge of striking the right balance between preservation and adaptation.

The site represents a historically important link between two parts of the old city and has always been a connection point between two major districts in the Medina. Due to the local light industry, however, the city has effectively turned away from the river, causing the beautiful atmosphere of a connecting link to deteriorate.
With the Fez River Rehabilitation Project well under way and the planned relocation of local light industries the project seizes the opportunity to re-introduce the spirit of linking the eastern and western part of the city and re-establishes the historic character of the riverbed

Plans

Model