THE DARANA COLLECTIVE
The word ‘Darna’ means ‘our home’ in Arabic and bears multiple meanings within the scope of this project; Envisioning a modern yet vernacularly informed collective housing complex situated in the delicate context of the Jewish Quarter (‘Mellah’) of Marrakesh, Morocco.
The ‘Darna Collective’ envisions a modern yet vernacularly informed collective housing, public courtyards, and micro-farming complex within the Jewish quarter of Marrakesh, Morocco. The project investigates and utilizes the core principles and spatial logic of the historically endemic Riad - Courtyard House architectural typology; which fundamentally characterizes Marrakesh’s vernacular identity.
The ‘Darna Collective’ seeks to articulate a gentle design strategy tailored for a hyper-dense, heritage-listed urban context that will accommodate multiple family households. The proposal explores and mediates between private, semi-private, and communal residential spaces while integrating shared amenities and a micro-farming cultivation framework.