Fares (1922–1979) was a Moroccan architect born in Rabat, with roots in Andalousia. He grew up in the city of Rabat.
He is considered an emblematic figure of the traditional modernised architectural movement in Morocco and in Africa, and his legacy is important in terms of the number of constructions built across Morocco, the diversity of his works, and international designs.
Fares lost both of his parents very young, and he started as an apprentice under the supervision of Marquisio in 1937 at age 15. Shortly after, he entered the Office of Mr Antoine Marchisio and met the French art historian Mr Henri Terrasse in 1940.
He studied at the University of Rabat and after finishing his studies under the direction of Mr Antoine Marchisio, he was awarded the Title of Architect DPLG in 1947.
He established a private practice in Morocco and started a career spanning from 1947 to 1979. He marked the architecture of the second half of the 20th century with a resolutely traditional modernised work in intense dialogue with the country, the people, and the landscapes surrounding him.
In 1954, Fares is the Architect in chief of the Ministry of Urbanism, and he was appointed "Commissaire du Gouvernement" in 1958.
He was director of the urbanism of the cities of Rabat and Casablanca, in the 1950's and 1960's.
He combined modern and traditional architecture in his projects, and an awareness of local culture and lifestyle.
Fares sought to preserve the traditional style of his country.His style was defined by respect for the authentic character of the buildings, and creating harmony with the national architectural heritage.
Fares was determined to make full use of the country's capabilities in this field.
He prioritised the use of local construction methods and materials which he used in harmony with the local environment and nature, to highlight the Moroccan spirit, and incorporate its traditions in urban planning and building design, which is important to the Moroccan people.
Fares also incorporated Moroccan art, and engineering forms used in other historical monuments and traditional treasures, such as the Quaraouyine Mosque, in Fez.
He was determined to exploit the country's capacities in this field, using local materials and following the tradition of regional forms and construction intentions that suit the inclinations of the population, and respecting the environment.
His style was classical, simple and elegant, mixing modern and traditional Architecture design.
Fares a associé l’architecture moderne et traditionnelle dans ses projets en préservant la culture, le mode de vie local et le style traditionnel de son pays.
Son style classique, simple et élégant se caractérise par le respect du caractère authentique des bâtiments en harmonie avec le patrimoine architectural national.
Convaincu par les compétences locales et déterminé à utiliser pleinement les capacités et les talents du Maroc dans ce domaine, il a utilisé des méthodes de construction et des matériaux locaux - tout en préservant l'environnement et les espaces verts.
Il était en effet important de prendre en compte les typicités régionales, les traditions nationales dans l’urbanisme et la conception des bâtiments. L’enjeu est de taille car cela impacte les individus, leur confort au quotidien, et leur vie collective et sociale.
Fares a intégré l’art marocain et pris en compte dans ses constructions et installations de bâtiments, les formes d’ingénierie d’autres monuments historiques - comme le trésor architectural de la ville de Fès: l'Université Al Quaraouiyine.
1 Biography
1.1 Traditional modernism
1.2 Religious realizations
2 Main building sites
1 Biography
1.1 Traditional Modernism
Fares was born in Rabat in 1922, to a Morrocan family with roots in Marrakesh and Andalousia.
Fares entered the Office of Mr Antoine Marchisio in 1937, and Mr Henri Terrasse in 1940.
He was awarded the Title of Architect in 1947, by the French Department of Architecture.
In 1954, he is the Architect in chief of the Ministry of Urbanism, and he was appointed "Commissaire du Gouvernement" in 1958.
He signed up the Letter of the "128", in 1954.
Il a signé la lettre des "128" notables, en 1954.
He began his career transforming the Mamounia Hotel, with Mr Marchisio, in 1940.
In contrast with post-war Europe, Rabat was at midcentury an expanding town and a fertile field for architectural experimentation.
He was in charge of general planning for the new Ministry of Social Affairs offices, in the 1950's.
American Architecture influenced his style.
Fares was influenced by the works of: Mies van der Rohe, Alvaar Alto and Richard Neutra, with the Institute for Survival through Design which inspired him for his social housings and public buildings.
His first projects were designing office buildings, private villas and schools.
He worked with his friends and colleagues Elie Azagury and Jean-François Zevaco, on social projects in Casablanca, in the early 1960's.
He designed several private homes in the areas of Aviation, Pinède and Ambassador (Souissi) in Rabat - integrating the houses within their natural surroundings.
His building sites also concentrated on larger public commissions, designing for example office buildings, schools and cultural centers.
He worked on a project of a hotel restaurant at beach Sid El Abed, Sable d'Or (1950), overlooking the Atlantic ocean. It consisted of mid-sized minimalist white low structures with flat roof design. High sliding window panels framed the view of the beach and the sunset - each single storey bungalow had adjacent lounging area terrasse facing the beach. The restaurant was a separate building set up slightly above the level of the rooms and had floor to ceiling window glasses thus offering unobstructed views of the ocean from every angles on the property.
1.2 Religious realizations
He later devoted his career to religious Architectural creations.
After spending several months in Central Africa, in Gabon, working on the spiritual center of Libreville, he came back to Rabat, and was immediately asked to go Tangier, to advise on a technical problem at the spiritual center building site, and then came back to Rabat, and died a few hours later at the hospital.
He died in October 1979, of lack of proper medical care, and negligence at the hospital emergency department.
2 Main building sites:
Mammounia Palace, Marrakech, 1940.
Renovation of the “Tribunal du Pacha” (Court of justice) government building in Casablanca, 1945.
"Ecole Normale”, commissioned by the Ministry of National Education in Rabat (Ocean suburb), 1951.
Building of an orphanage and retirement home, Casablanca, 1952.
Apartment complex, Blvd. de Bordeaux and rue Adrienne Lecouvreur, Casablanca, 1947.
Izzat Safadi Estate: Habitation supervision and site design, Rabat, 1950.
OCP. (Office Chérifien des Phosphates) Social Housing design and overall building construction management, Casablanca, 1951.
Sidi Othman apartment complex, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Casablanca, 1950.
Buildings, Rabat (Ocean and Tour Hassan neighborhoods), 1950.
Private villas in Tour Hassan sector, Rabat.
Administrative office Buildings rue J. Poivre and rue de Beyrouth, Social Affairs Ministry, Rabat, 1955.
Lotissement Rostane apartment complex, Oujda, 1959.
School in Tabriquet, Rabat (Salé locality), 1959.
Modern replica of the Tour Hassan for the Rabat Hilton hotel, 1960. Hotel Hilton main entrance, lobby, bungalows, pool area, tennis courts and golf.
Commercial district planning and luxury apartments, Ministry of Urbanism. Commercial buildings, Ministry of Urbanism, Casablanca, 1960.
Planning for the Youssoufia estate - social housing expansion and administration, Rabat, 1960.
Buildings at the corner of Temara Avenue (now Avenue Hassan II) and Calmette road.
Buildings rue d'Armagnac and rue de Vendee, Ministry of Social Affairs, Rabat, 1960.
Hotel (Beach Sid El Abed), Temara, 1960.
New residential areas and luxury townhouses development planning schemes, (la Pinède in the Souissi) for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Rabat, 1960.
Several private villas on the Princess Road and within the Quartier des Ambassadeurs, Route des Zaers, Rabat (Agdal and Souissi areas), 1961.
Aviation and Pinède Neighborhood planning and supervision, 1961.
Buildings, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Sale Tabriquet, 1962.
Spiritual Center design, Kuwait, 1962.
Buildings, Sidi Othman, Casablanca, 1964.
Buildings, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Meknes, 1965.
Zaouia Naciria, Tamegroute, Vallée du Draa, 1965.
Buildings, CGI. (Caisse de Dépot et de Gestion), Casablanca, 1968.
Downtown buildings, Office Chérifien des Phosphates, Khourigba, 1968.
Private residences, CGI., Fes, 1968.
Housing Estate Izzat Safadi, CGI. Buildings Kébibat Area, Social Affairs Ministry, Rabat, 1970.
Sidi Allal Tazi, CGI., Cooperative housing estate development, S.U.N.A.G. Company, Mechra Bel Ksiri, 1970.
Building Estate for Sugar Field Workers (Gharb region), 1972.
Water tank Tower for drinkable water project.
CGI. buildings and private residences, Rabat (Aviation sector), 1973.
Studies for the new "Green Zone" surrounding Rabat, as well as city landscape planning, Rabat, 1970
Fandouk Zneber School, commissioned by the Ministry of National Education, Rabat, 1970.
Cultural Center renovation and remodeling guidance, Brussels, Belgium, 1970.
Additional spiritual centers in the cities of Sidi Allal Tazi, Kenitra, Fes, and Sale (with the Cultural and Religious Affairs Ministry), 1960 to 1978.
High school and college buildings in Tabriquet II - Sale, 1971.
Mosque Omar Saqqaf, Diour Jamaâ neighbourhood (Unesco classification in 2012), Rabat, 1972.
Renovation of the spiritual center Ahl Fas within the Mechouar, inside the Royal Palace gated district, Rabat, 1974.
Al Quaraouiyine Historical Center renovation (the oldest spiritual teaching center in North Africa and Europe), Fez (Morocco), 1974.
Lalla-Meriem Elementary School design and completion, Rabat circa 1975.
American air base cultural center project control and realization, Kenitra, 1975.
Dior Jamaâ spiritual center rebuilding management, along with the surrounding area on Temara Avenue (Now Avenue Hassan II), Rabat, 1976.
Cultural building and spiritual center in the Moroccan Sahara, Laâyoune,
(the first such center built in Laâyoune), 1978.
Preliminary site planning and first draft for a new spiritual center, Casablanca 1979.
Design of the Moroccan Embassy residency and various cultural buildings, Libreville, Gabon, 1975.
Cultural Center planning, design, and interior decoration, along with a whole international project supervision, Geneva, Switzerland in 1976.
(Cultural Foundation of Geneva: Inaugurated in 1978 by King Kahled Bin Abdulaziz and the President of Switzerland. The Geneva Spiritual Center is but one among many others, all different in size and architectural style.)
Youth Center design and creation of a Spiritual and Cultural Center, Nouakchott (Mauritania), 1978.
Structural advice on the largest spiritual buildings in Tangier, 1979.
- Western Africa: Planning and development of major cultural projects in Guinea (Conakry), Kenya (Nairobi), Nigeria, and Senegal (Dakar).
Notes complémentaires:
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Quote:
Il disait de ne jamais demander à quelqu'un quelle était sa religion, et de faire le bien de manière désinteressée .
He used to say that we should never ask someone about their religion and to do good deeds around us without expecting anything in return.
Citation du Coran (6:152) :
Et, nullement n'approchez les biens de l'orphelin, excepté avec ce qu'il y a de meilleur, jusqu'à ce qu'il atteigne sa maturité ...
ولا تقربوا مال اليتيم الا بالتي هي احسن حتى يبلغ اشده
Remerciements Issam Fares - Zaha Hadid
et Monsieur Jean-Louis Cohen
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