The exhibition New South at Galerie CROUX in Paris features the work of six young architects, including two Next Generation prize-winners, Meriem Chabani and Chamss Doha Oulkadi. New South explores how sustainable design addresses economic, social, cultural and environmental challenges by examining different ways of living, construction methodologies and cultural representations in developing cities of the South.

The town of Agadir in Morocco was hit by a devastating earthquake in 1960. The “kasbah” or fortified town on the hill was entirely destroyed and the site abandoned. This dramatic event in the history of the town establishes the very narrative of the submitted project: the creation of a place of contemplation in memory of the 15,000 residents who died in the earthquake.

The scheme incorporates a memorial on the site and an archaeological museum retracing the history of the city. The building, for example, integrates the ruins of the fortification wall, establishing a dialog between the old and the new, between the past and the present.

Read project feature in 4th Holcim Awards 2014/2015 (flip-book)

Chamss Doha Oulkadi from BOM architecture, France won the Next Generation 2nd prize and views the focus on social sustainability that links the community to the architecture of the project as its key strength. “Destroyed City Told: Earthquake memorial and archaeological museum” in Agadir, Morocco incorporates a memorial on the site and an archaeological museum retracing the history of the city. 

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The twelve winning projects of the Holcim Awards 2014 Africa Middle East focus mainly on enhancing social and environmental resilience, as well as the economy of construction. The winning submissions show how multi-disciplinary responses to the challenges facing design and building are being developed. A green building in Turkey, an urban forest rehabilitation in Lebanon, and a low-cost housing plan in Ethiopia received the top prizes.

The jury was captivated by the clarity and beauty of the models and drawings featured in the submission. Here, architecture in its purest disciplinary form is brought to the fore to create a magnificent ensemble, one touching the senses and foregrounding aesthetics as a key tenet of sustainable development. The scheme merges tradition with a contemporary understanding of architecture without mimicking the past or succumbing to the pitfalls of orthodox historic reinstatements. The proposed structure tells a story, one told in the present, while recalling a past and pointing to a potential future.

The town of Agadir in Morocco was hit by a devastating earthquake in 1960. The “kasbah” or fortified town on the hill was entirely destroyed and the site abandoned. This dramatic event in the history of the town establishes the very narrative of the submitted project: the creation of a place of contemplation in memory of the 15,000 residents who died in the earthquake. The scheme incorporates a memorial on the site and an archaeological museum retracing the history of the city. The building, for example, integrates the ruins of the fortification wall, establishing a dialog between the old and the new, between the past and the present.