Welcome to the Souss Massa Ecotourism project!
Welcome to Souss Massa Ecotourism's Architecture Lab, where we transform the beauty of nature into architectural designs that inspire. Our mission is to create ecotourism masterplans that showcase the power of sustainable architecture, and we are proud to present our latest two projects commissioned by SDRT Souss Massa in Agadir: Boutbouqalt Spring and Targua N'touchka Spring.
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In 2023, the Regional Tourism Development Company (SDRT) of the Souss Massa Region invited architect Aziza Chaouni and her team to collaborate on developing pilot ecotourism projects in the Souss Massa Region. Our common ambition is to use a collaborative process to understand local needs and site constraints, to develop a masterplan for the entire area surrounding each site, and to design state of the art, innovative facilities and infrastructure that reimagine vernacular techniques and minimize impact on the environment.
Departing from a strategic tourism plan for the whole region already completed by the SDRT, we selected three strategic sites, already heavily used by tourists and locals, to implement the pilot projects: the Boutbouqalt Spring, the Targua N’touchka Spring and Anmel, all located a couple of hours South of the city of Agadir.
As a team we take pride in our work and strive to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities for which we design. Join us on our journey towards a greener, more responsible tourism in the Souss Massa Region!
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The goals of this website are:
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to share the work methodology we crafted to develop and implement these pilot projects;
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to inform the public on the progress of the pilot projects;
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to offer a platform to the public to share their opinions via email or via dedicated WhatsApp groups.
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Collaborative Approach
Aziza Chaouni Projects strives to include as many voices as possible throughout our design process, from the very start of every projects, before we even pick our pencils and trace paper to draw!
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For the pilot projects in Boutbouqalt, Targua N’touchka and Anmel, we invited elected decision makers, officials, technicians from different ministries, women, men, youth, the elderly, and children to join us to better understand not only the site potentials and major contraints, but also the different needs of locals and of visitors.
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To do so we designed specific tools that can facilitate a co-design process, an approach which neither officials nor locals in Morocco are used to. Games are the key to breaking the ice and encouraging participants to freely share their concerns and suggestions.
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We developed three games:
1. A postcard game to assess the assets and problems of each site.
2. A card game to choose preferred programs for the site.
3. A model game to place preferred programs and circulation pathways onto each site.
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Join us on our journey as we explore the co-design process, share stunning context photos, and publish our plans. We invite you to our Instagram feed and forums to share your opinions on our masterplans. Together, we can unleash the beauty of architecture and create a sustainable future for generations to come.