Fernando Guerra - FG + SG

Villa Agava in Morocco by Driss Ketani Architecture

Villa Agava is a contemporary residence in Casablanca (Morocco’s largest city), that effortlessly blends modern architecture styling and geometry with the space planning of traditional Moroccan homes.

Designed by Moroccan/Canadian architect Driss Kettani, the villa masterfully implements modern building codes while achieving degrees of privacy and spatial integrity reminiscent of old courtyard homes. This semi-detached villa is projected on a ground oriented north-south and plays on a facade on blind street by opening totally on the side and the garden to the south. The obligation to stay on the existing neighboring house and the rules of setbacks preset the silhouette in plan. The disadvantageous north orientation on the street and the presence of high walls of enclosures are here an opportunity to revisit some of the codes of the traditional house while maintaining transparency and spatial fluidity.


A chicane entrance, highlighted by a set of black walls and gray-blue zellige accentuates this duality and reinforces the effect of contrast between privacy and discretion on the street and opening and transparency on the pool and the garden. This principle is declined through the 3 plant sequences, the mineral garden at the entrance, the aquatic sequence on the lateral side and the vegetable garden to the south.

Inside, a wooden panel / chimney acts as a patella and intimidates the service area while maintaining a fluidity of use. This panel incorporates a screen of wooden slats whose opacity varies according to the angle of view.
The project tries to play on the notions of intimacy and transparency, fluidity and functional considerations and uses a palette of materials both raw and rich in textures and colors that combined with vegetation offer an abstract composition on the street.



IMAGES COURTESY ARCHIDATUM
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