Exhibition project selected to represent Morocco at Venice International Architecture Biennale

RABAT - As part of Morocco’s participation in the 19th Venice International Architecture Biennale in 2025, under the theme "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective", the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, together with the Ministry of National Land Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy, organised an architectural competition for the design, development and production of an exhibition at the Moroccan pavilion, in line with the general theme, as well as with the theme of "earth architecture", chosen as the theme of the North African Kingdom’s pavilion.

Earth architecture is inspired by vernacular construction practices using local and sustainable materials. It contributes to the construction of buildings that combine resilience, aesthetics and sustainability, and are in keeping with their natural and cultural environment.

The competition, open to architects authorized to practice the profession independently and registered with the National Order of Architects, took place in two stages, under the supervision of a jury composed of qualified individuals, and chaired by Mehdi Qotbi, President of the National Museum Foundation.

At the end of the first phase of the competition, in which ten projects took part, the jury selected five of them. During the next phase, the five candidates, accompanied by members of their respective curatorial teams, and equipped with the models, plans and brochures of their projects, presented themselves before the jury.

The project selected to represent Morocco is entitled "Materiae Palimpsest" by architects Khalil Morad El Ghilali and El Mehdi Belyasmine.

“Materiae Palimpsest” combines tradition and innovation, creating an immersive experience that invites visitors to delve into the art of earth construction but also to redefine the perception of collective intelligence.

Khalil Morad El Ghilali is a Moroccan architect, teaching at the ENA in Marrakech. In 2019, he founded Atelier BE, an interdisciplinary design and research firm that explores the links between architecture, climate, ecology and new technologies.

El Mehdi Belyasmine is a Moroccan architect, founder of Belyas.Co. With prestigious training (ETH Zurich, ULB La Cambre Horta), he has acquired a rich international experience working on various projects in Africa, America and the Middle East. He combines creative design and digital technologies to create sustainable and meaningful architectures.