The international airport of marrakech

1. PLACES TO MOVE
The international airport of
Marrakech, Marrakech Menara
-Submitted by
Dhruv Bansal
Madhav Singh

2. There was a time, not so long ago,
when airports in major international cities
weren’t more attractive than an average
industrial warehouse - a fitting environment
as passengers in the 1970s and '80s were
essentially loaded and unloaded like so much
cargo

3. • Narrow hallways harshly lit with florescent
lighting, depressing decor and confusing layouts
downgraded a once-glamorous, fashionable
adventure into a distinctly pedestrian experience.
• Fortunately, that particularly unattractive era in
aviation history is becoming a blurred (and
hopefully distant) memory as cities are tapping
renowned architects -- and making investments
in the billions -- to transform their busiest
terminals into fully functional works of art.

4. While the modern wave in airport design kicked off in Asia (with Beijing, Bangkok,
Osaka, Incheon and Singapore all creating soaring, light-infused terminals that
could vie for "world’s most exceptional") the rest of the world has taken the
trend and run with it.

5. Now, hubs from
around the world are
undergoing total
transformations,
pushing the
boundaries of design
in inspiring ways while
staying true
(whenever possible)
to local cultures and
sensibilities.

7. Introduction
In this project, the E2A
Architecture studio
developed a new
terminal extension for
the airport. The
extension presents a
space where the light
that filters screened by
arabesques that cover
the windows and eye
contact with the
outside is constant, a
structure reminiscent of
typical wire mesh
combined with modern
touches.

8. AIRPORT
BUS STAND & TRAIN
STATION
Location
Marrakech's international airport is located 6 km southwest
of downtown city center and 7 of the Djemaa el-Fna. Buses
and taxis to the airport communicate with the urban area.

9. Concept
The project
focuses on three
main ideas:
• Give the world a
modern vision of
Moroccan
architecture, not
forgetting the
traditions.
• Develop a friendly
and safe space.
• Through materials
and techniques of
past and present,
apply a new
modernity.
A common type of home in Morocco is
called a ‘Dar’. These types of houses are
found in medina. The exterior of Dar is
devoid of any windows or
ornamentation. There are small
openings in staircases or service areas
which provide ventilation and light to
the house.

10. Drawings
Ground Floor Plan

11. First Floor Plan

12. Roof Plan

13. Elevations

14. Sections

15. Spaces
The terminal has several
cafes and a small souk,
where you can buy local
crafts.
Terminals
It has two terminals, one for
international flights and one
for domestic flights, but due
to the heavy traffic and
passenger air takes place in
its facilities, is already the
third terminal project.
Parking
The parking area is near the
terminals and has a capacity
of approximately 360
vehicles.
Services
The airport has a chapel and
a first aid medical center.

16. Description & Materials
In contrast to the
existing structure, the
new space offers a set of
lights and shadows in
every hour of the day,
giving the new terminal
a particular brightness.
Balconies overlooking
the central lobby of
rectangular shape, are at
one end one of the bars
and newspaper sales
and the opposite,
offices. These units are
accessed by stairs.

17. Facade
The renovation of the airport includes a façade made up of 24 diamonds and 3 triangles. Both
the triangles located above the entrance doors, with a measure of 12x6 meters as the
lozenges are filled with glass ornaments printed with Islamic style.

18. Interior
The interior of the terminal is performed as
the purest and most ancient traditions of
Morocco. In the main site rest areas are
equipped with sofas and armchairs
decorated with fabrics typical of the region.
Following the identity of the facade,
diamonds of equal size, forming a white
aluminum-coated grating that allows natural
light and shape to the terminal.

19. The contemporary design blends smoothly
with the Moroccan tradition that has been
preserved in the original terminal whose
columns are the typical diamond-shaped
tiles in shades of green, raw and a wide
range of terracotta. The granite that covers
the soil is dark in contrast to the
enlargement of color.

20. Ceiling
The roof, consisting of a steel skeleton, flying outwards
creating a patch of shade through an overhang of 24
meters.
This cover 72 supports photovoltaic pyramids, in a package
that represents some 15,300 meters square. Small plates
imitate the designs of mosaics found in traditional Islamic
architecture while allowing light to enter through the
skylights. This mosaic pattern masks contemporary
technology so that many travelers are only a continuation
of the other traditional motifs that decorate the space of
the enclosure.

21. Thank You !