Fez Lessons: Industrious Habitat. Teaching and Research in Architecture: 7 - Softcover

Harry Gugger; Sarah Bart; Augustin Clement; Alexandros Fotakis; Tiago Trigo

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3038601691 ISBN 13: 9783038601692

Publisher: Park Books, 2020

Synopsis

• Explores the impact of cultural and sociopolitical clashes caused by European colonisation of the ancient Arab-Muslim world in the Maghreb on the urban fabric and socio-economic structure of Fez, Morocco's second largest city
• Visualises recent research findings of EPFL's Laboratory Basel (laba) in striking informative graphics, maps, and photographs

The infamous Scramble for Africa in the late 19th and 20th centuries disrupted the entire African continent with enduring repercussions. Morocco - located at a crossroads between Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arab-Muslim world in the Maghreb, and Mediterranean Europe - has struggled to withstand the resulting cultural and sociopolitical clashes ever since.

Fez Lessons: Industrious Habitat looks at Fez, Morocco's famous former capital and today its second-largest city. Based on a recent research program conducted by EPFL's Laboratory Basel (laba), it investigates how these clashes have marked the city's socioeconomic structure and urban fabric, and whether or not it offers alternative and relevant means of human association and community.

Given the growing stream of large-scale international investment, the constant enticement of tourism, and a worldwide revival of nationalism, Laba's student's and researchers were looking for tiny cues, nagging doubts, and signs of the fusion between form and life, raising questions about identity, authenticity, tradition, the globalisation of culture, and the use of local resources. Their findings are visualised in the book in striking images, graphics and maps. Students' proposals for architectural interventions addressing these issues are presented through images and plans.

About this title

About the Author

Harry Gugger is professor of architecture and director of laba, a Basel-based satellite studio of EPFL's School of Architecture, where Tiago Trigo is an architect and research assistant, Augustin Clément is an architect and teaching assistant, Alexandros Fotakis is an architect and teaching assistant, and Sarah Barth is a research assistant.

Edition details

• Publisher: Park Books
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3038601691
• ISBN 13: 9783038601692
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 204