Arabesque Tower, Casablanca, 2023

Kiosk café within the open atrium of a commercial complex in Casablanca, Morocco.　Experiencing the local culture firsthand revealed that the Arabesque tradition extends far beyond ornamentation. Its richness lies in the sophistication of its mathematical principles, the depth of thought embedded within its patterns, and the fusion of art, science, and craftsmanship. Encountering these qualities in their original context inspired a renewed appreciation of their cultural significance. The proposal translates this heritage into a contemporary architectural language. An Arabesque-inspired pattern became both the tower’s visual identity and the basis of its structural logic. The tower was conceived as a simple yet ambitious system: two perforated steel plates with diamond-shaped openings, connected only by pins at their corners. This lightweight strategy allows light to penetrate the structure while enabling a freestanding tower nearly ten meters high. Designed for a setting where substantial foundations were not feasible, the object rises directly from the floor and pierces the domed atrium above, suggesting a contemporary reemergence of the Arabesque tradition.

Images : Archiee studio