Connecting Riads in Casablanca, Morocco by AQSO arquitectos office

Article source: AQSO arquitectos office

This residential complex is defined by a continuous volume snaking around two semipublic courtyards. Its height adapts to the different conditions of the plot to combine a domestic and urban appearance.

The project is located on the east side of Anfa district, a downtown historic area in the vicinity of an old airport to be demolished. The plot is situated between the Gran Theatre boulevard and a residential area composed of low buildings and an urban park.

Boulevard

• Architects: AQSO arquitectos office
• Project Title: Connecting Riads
• Subtitle: Residential complex in Casablanca
• Location: Casablanca, Morocco
• Site area: 9814 sqm
• Ground Floor Area: 49154 sqm
• Client: Nokta Group

Courtyard

The scheme is solved conceptually as a continuous block aligned to the surrounding streets and wrapping around two big ‘riads’. This simple gesture is further defined by the particular context of each side of the site in a way that the different height of the elevation become a contemporary and expressive form to which the roof is formed by staircase shaped green terraces.

In this way the building grows to offer an urban character towards the boulevard and reduces its scale to the opposite side. The upward volume allows the apartments to enjoy the view of the park.

Model

The building façade turns into two different strategies: the exterior skin facing the most public context becomes an introverted and formal element while the interior one facing the private courtyards becomes extrovert and domestic.

The first one is made by long balconies enclosed by sliding latticework panels and the second one is just a white and plain surface only interrupted by long windows and big protruding balconies. This elements arranged in an irregular order are hanged on the wall like flowerpots in an Andalusian patio. The building block is also perforated through big openings working as green terraces and allowing good ventilation and views.

Patio

On the semipublic areas, the landscape is treated with an organic layout combining cobbled paving pathways, water features and native vegetation of trees and low-maintenance plants.

The complex is composed of different residential typologies ranging from 70 to 160 sqm. The apartments follow a 6×3 meters module in which grid are arranged the different rooms. There are five unit types and different subtypes depending on the orientation and geometry.

Street

Terrace

Plan

Plan

Elevation

Types

Typology-units

Floor-Plan

Tags: Casablanca, Morocco

Categories: Apartments, Residential

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