Abdeslem Faraoui and Patrice de Maziéres

Abdeslam FARAOUI, born on 15/12/28 in Fez (Morocco), obtained his secondary education in FEZ ; he received his diploma at the Special School of Architecture (Ecole Speciale d'Architecture) in Paris in 1956. He held important positions in the Ministry of Housing until 1960 in Rabat.

Patrice de MAZIERES, born in Rabat (Morocco) on 30/08/30, He graduated from the Special School of Architecture (Ecole Speciale d'Architecture) in Paris in 1956 After having attended seminars held by various architectural concerns in Paris and Algeria, he returned to Morocco in 1960.

At that time, A. FARAOUI and P. de MAZIERES became associates and founded the Agency in Rabat. The Office in Casablanca will be created in 1971. The birth of the Agency coincided with the launching of the Kingdom's ambitious development programs during the early days of independence. The architectural research, either in compliance with government specifications or on behalf of private organizations were, initially, oriented towards a conception striving to harmonize the spirit of Maghrebin/Moroccan culture, with contemporary demands, without compromise. This option was to be made even easier by the attitude of the building contractors who did not, a priori, go against the general spirit entailed in this research. On the other hand, this reality rendered the architects' responsibility greater than in other countries afflicted with a set of heavy regulations and inflexible cultural concepts or ideas.

PRINCIPAL WORKS:

• Hotel des Almoravides, Marrakech
• Hotel Les Gorges du Dadès, Boumalne Dadès
• Malabata Club Mediterranee, Malabata, Morocco
• Ministry of the Interior (Ministère de l'intérieur), Rabat
• Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication, Rabat
• Ministry of Tourism, Rabat
• National Bank for Economic Development, Rabat
• National Railways Office (Office National des Chemins de Fer), Rabat
• Postal Sorting Building, Casablanca
• Rabat University Dormitories, Rabat
• Savings Deposits and Administration Bank (caisse de dépôt et de gestion), Rabat (In collaboration with Jean Fraçois Zevaco)
• University International Center, Asilah

Source:

Abdeslem Faraoui, Patrice de Mazières, architectes: projets et réalisations, Maroc 1962-1982. 1982. Casablanca, Morocco: Editions Shoof.