Camel Rock, Marrakesh (Morocco)

This house didn’t exist. Originally, it was just a 480m² wasteland in the municipality of Zaouiet Ben Sassi, 20 km from Marrakech. There was no water supply, no electricity and no sewerage system. Everything had to be built from scratch: the septic tank, the independent water cistern, and the installation of 10 electricity poles, which, incidentally, provided electricity to the whole neighbourhood.

The project involved creating a ‘riad’, a house emblematic of Moroccan architecture.
"Camel Rock" is thus a 7-metre-high cube when viewed from the outside. Its four façades are entirely blind and covered with a render made from local earth and straw, which allows the building to blend into its surroundings. Only its large matt black gate hints at the presence of a house.
The patio forms the heart of the residence, where the traditional fountain has been replaced by a swimming pool. The interior walls, finished in off-white and tadelakt, contrast with the brown exterior façades of raw rammed earth. The 200 m² roof terrace offers spectacular views of the Atlas Mountains and the Moroccan countryside.

The aim was to respect the conventions of Moroccan architecture whilst adapting them to my DNA as a European woman. Camel Rock has been sold in 2014 and was my first project as an independent boutique property developer.