A day-long charrette working with Joshua Kievenaar and Sam Sclater-Brooks to develop a sacrificial scheme for a Spiritual Retreat in the Atlas Mountains.
Using Heideggar's quote "...for building isn't merely a means and a way towards dwelling - to dwell is itself already to dwell" as a starting point, we devised a series of piled structures placed at strategic points along the Ourika Valley spanning from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert. A group of pilgrims would come along and dwell in the first dwelling whist building a new one for the next group and so on. As the dwellings grow along the valley the form and materiality will change according to specific site conditions, including readily available raw materials and vernacular styles.
The dwellings themselves span the base of the valley creating both a bridge to get from here to there, as well as a place in itself. Our design for a typical dwelling typology features a central hearth with sleeping alcoves around it, with the intention that washing is done by the stream and food is sourced from the local communities in exchange for help working the land.
Follow Joshua's blog at emergentstudiojk.blogspot.com
Follow Sam's blog at emergentstudiossb.blogspot.com
