Three students from EMADU win the "People’s Choice Award" in an international competition

Lina Sefrioui Benzarou, Manale Adnane, and Zaineb Baddouri, students in their 5th, 4th, and 3rd years of Architecture, won the public prize in September 2021 in the international competition "The Oasis Cultural Center of Marrakech," organized by UNI, one of the largest platforms for architecture and design competitions, which aims to address the challenges of an ever-changing world.

The goal of the competition was to design a cultural center in Lalla Takerkoust that would combine the oasis concept with the cultural identity of Marrakech.

"Remaining true to our identity by representing our culture as humbly as possible was our guiding principle. The hydraulic network of the DAM.MEDINA project is inspired by the local oasis water system and the ancestral systems (Khettarat and Seguia) existing in the region. Thus, in reference to the neighboring dam, a veil, the only reinforced concrete element, acts as a major water pump to irrigate the project's green spaces.

The phenomenology of space and the genius of the place are two concepts strongly present in DAM.MEDINA. To allow the visitor to experience the atmospheres of the Marrakech medina; numerous sequences were designed. Inspired by Jemaa El Fna square, several platforms dedicated to performances were established, creating a 'multi-level medina' that combines architecture, water, and vegetation. The five senses are stimulated there." Such was the approach and the intentions of the three students.