Community Center of Laayoune- Morocco

Ecole Nationale d'Architecture d'Agadir - ENAA

Idea projektu

What if a place of leisure first learned to be discreet?

Located in Laayoune’s institutional center, this project balances seriousness with comfort.

The project is built around a deliberate dual personality. From the outside, it is compact, restrained, and monumental, acknowledging the formal and institutional character of its context while responding to the harsh Saharan climate—wind, sun, and sand. This exterior acts as both protector and mediator with the city.

Inside, the building transforms. The mass opens to reveal a calm, introverted core where leisure, social interaction, and comfort take precedence. Here, the architecture nurtures human experiences, creating an environment distinct from the rigidity of its exterior, yet fully integrated in its form.

Sustainability is part of the design: shading, vegetation, and passive strategies create a naturally comfortable interior. The architecture is serious on the outside, human at its core, offering a discreet but inviting place for people to gather and relax.

Popis projektu

In Laayoune, the climate is harsh-wind, sand, and sun dominate. This Project asks: how can architecture become a refuge rather than an added constraint? The building responds intelligently to its environment. Outside, it is discreet, massive, and protective, respecting the institutional character of the city. Inside, a central vegetated patio creates a calm microclimate where shade, air, and tranquility shape the experience.

The project organizes its functions around this central void: accommodation, activities, and conferences unfold naturally, promoting calm circulation and social interaction. Sustainability is integral: orientation, self-shading, bioclimatic double skin, wind and sand protection, adapted vegetation, and solar energy guide every decision. This center demonstrates human-centered architecture, offering comfort, social connection, and serenity even in the most demanding environments.

Technické informace

The project is a community leisure center in Laayoune, designed with a compact, protective concrete structure and a bioclimatic double-skin façade to resist wind, sand, and sun. A central vegetated patio creates a natural microclimate, while passive strategies-orientation, shading, and ventilation-ensure comfort. The program includes leisure areas, accommodation, and conference spaces, with circulation designed for calm and social interaction. Sustainability is integrated through solar energy, native vegetation, and climate-responsive materials.

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