sakhra / August 19, 2025 by Carlos Perez Marin

In January 2018, I paid a visit to my friend Abdeljalil Saouli for the first time in his hometown, Moulay Bouchta (Taounate, Morocco). Since then, I came back several times to discover and study its architecture and heritage coinciding with other researchers with whom we decided to organise an event in which artists and researches could realise the opportunities a place like Moulay Bouchta could offer to contemporary creation and to test other ways to develop from educational and cultural point of view rural societies in Morocco. This is my own story with Sakhra (not an official Sakhra website) a cultural event we have organised (for now) in 2019 and 2025 with my friends Abdeljalil Saouli, Gilles Aubry and Fatima-Zahra Lakrissa.

Click on the image to read the story.

En janvier 2018, j'ai rendu visite à mon ami Abdeljalil Saouli pour la première fois dans sa ville natale, Moulay Bouchta (Taounate, Maroc). Depuis, j'y suis retourné à plusieurs reprises pour découvrir et étudier son architecture et son patrimoine. En coïncidant avec d'autres chercheurs, nous avons décidé d'organiser un événement où artistes et chercheurs pourraient prendre conscience des opportunités qu'un lieu comme Moulay Bouchta pouvait offrir à la création contemporaine et explorer d'autres pistes de développement éducatif et culturel pour les sociétés rurales du Maroc. Voici mon histoire avec Sakhra (mais ce n’est pas le site officiel de Sakhra). An événement culturel que nous avons organisé en 2019 et 2025 (pour l’instant) avec mes amis Abdeljalil Saouli, Gilles Aubry et Fatima-Zahra Lakrissa.

Cliquez sur l'image pour lire l'histoire.

territory and heritage. Saharan caravans / September 30, 2024 by Carlos Perez Marin

In October 2022, the 25th Ceuta History Conference was held, organised by the Instituto de Estudios Ceutíes, entitled Historical Heritage of Ceuta and its surroundings. The programme included a presentation on Territory and heritage: Saharan caravans. You can read the article clicking on the image.

En octubre de 2022 tuvieron lugar las XXV Jornadas de Historia de Ceuta organizadas por el Instituto de Estudios Ceutíes, con el título Patrimonio Histórico de Ceuta y su entorno. En el programa se incluía una ponencia sobre Territorio y patrimonio: caravanas saharianas que se puede leer clicando en la imagen.

desert habitats / September 25, 2024 by Carlos Perez Marin

Presentation that took place in September the 22nd in Marrakech (Morocco) in the framework of Global Research Studio program (ARCH9000) of Wentworth Institut of Technology (Boston - Massachusetts, USA), "Morocco and Impact Innovation Network", related to habitats in the Sahara desert.

Thanks a lot to Soufian Aaraichi and NJ Unaka for the invitation to talk to their students about my research in desert areas.

transfretana 9 / June 30, 2024 by Carlos Perez Marin

ES / EN

El pasado mes de abril de 2024, el Instituto de Estudios Ceutíes publicó el número 9 de la revista TRANSFRETANA dedicada al Patrimonio histórico de Ceuta y su gestión, coordinado por Adolfo Hernández Lafuente. En dicho número he planteado hipótesis que podrían ser útiles si la Ciudad Autónoma de Ceuta decidiera iniciar los trabajos para conseguir alguna de las protecciones que otorga la Unesco al patrimonio histórico. Pulse en la imagen para leer el artículo (el cual está dividido en 9 capítulos).

Last April 2024, the Instituto de Estudios Ceutíes published number 9 of the TRANSFRETANA magazine dedicated to the Historical Heritage of Ceuta and its management, coordinated by Adolfo Hernández Lafuente. In this issue I have raised hypotheses that could be useful if the Autonomous City of Ceuta decided to start work to obtain some of the protections granted by UNESCO to historical heritage. Click on the image to read the article (which is divided in 9 chapters)..

tasghimout workshop / June 11, 2020 by Carlos Perez Marin

We have updated all the information on the workshop we organised last November with Labina in Tasghimout, the Almoravid fortification situated 35 km from Marrakech (Morocco). Click on the image or here.

tamnougalt workshops / June 5, 2020 by Carlos Perez Marin

We have updated all the information on the workshop we organised last February (with Kasbah de Caïds and Labina) in Tamnougalt, Zagora (Morocco). Click on the image.

garden in doctora soraya / September 10, 2019 by Carlos Perez Marin

Intervention in a small plot in order to provide a place to contemplate the view over the sea and a playground for children. A new urban space determined by the geometry of the plot, the trees and the landscape. More information here.

laatiris-shimi house / August 4, 2019 by Carlos Perez Marin

When friends (and artists) Faouzi Laatiris and Batoul Shimi send you an email:

We do not forget the artwork we promised you because the present (the house plans) you did us it is a project that makes us feel good every day.

Thank you so much

More information about this project, here.

square in la reina, ceuta / July 29, 2019 by Carlos Perez Marin

After one year, it seems the works for the urban renovation in La Reina neighbourhood are going to start very soon, according to the publications on local medias (El Faro de Ceuta, Ceuta al Día).

It is a small project but once again we tried to provide the maximum of confort to inhabitants with the minimum budget (this time, 60 000€). We also dedicated a lot of time to design the wooden benches instead of choosing them from a catalog. For more information about the project click on the image.

sakhra march 2019 / March 1, 2019 by Carlos Perez Marin

In September 2018, we (Abdeljalil Saouli, Gilles Aubry and myself) started to work on an artistic project in Moulay Bouchta Al Khamar, a village situated 75 km north of Fez. We met in Moulay Bouchta to explore the possibilities this place offer to contemporary culture, guided by Abdeljalil who grew up there and decided to come back and settle down after his studies at the art school of Tetouan (Institut National des beaux-arts de Tétouan).

sakhra / January 18, 2019 by Carlos Perez Marin

Things to do in Moulay Bouchta Al-Khamar (Taounate, Morocco) in March. 3 days of artistic interventions, promenades and conversations on habitat, listening and environment.

An artistic project proposed by Abdeljalil Saouli (Moroccan visual artist), Gilles Aubry (Swiss sound artist) and Carlos Perez Marin (Spanish architect).

talks and round tables in 2018 / December 30, 2018 by Carlos Perez Marin

This year I had the chance to talk in Ceuta, Fez, Zagora, Bir Gandouz (Dakhla) and Marrakesh about Saharan caravans, architectural heritage, nomadism, territory and urban planning in the desert, water and contemporary culture. Thanks a lot to Aula permanente de formación abierta (Granada University), Takafes, Forum International des Oasis, Ministère de l’Aménagement (Morocco) and Le 18 for trusting me.

diversité culturelle dans l'héritage architectural colonial / April 14, 2018 by Carlos Perez Marin

En janvier 2018, nous avons parlé du patrimoine colonial au Maroc, une rencontre organisée par TAKAFES. Maintenant l'audio des conférences est aussi disponible sur R22, La webradio des arts et du commun:

Les images sont disponible sur ce lien.

conference l'architecture espagnole de tétouan / March 7, 2018 by Carlos Perez Marin

Retour sur la conférence "l'Architecture Espagnole de Tétouan" dans le cadre de la "3ème journées de l'héritage colonial des villes marocaines" organisées par Takafes Art et qui a eu lieu le 27 janvier 2018 à l'Instituto Cervantes de Fez.

sidi bou othmane / November 13, 2017 by Carlos Perez Marin

Abandoned water tank and a dam built during the Almohad dynasty (12th century) in Sidi Bou Othmane, near Marrakech. Amazing space and incredible construction made in rammed earth.