The ryad at the Sidi Harazem Thermal Station is an open courtyard forming the heart of the site. The north end of the ryad is framed by the hotel suspended on its v-shaped columns. To the south, the kissaria (market) with its pyramidal roof shapes. To the east and west, porticoes made of wood and concrete canopies shape the ryad, simultaneously framing outward views towards the stunning landscape. The ryad is a celebration of the oasis, bringing water from the Large Canopy down through a succession of ponds, waterfalls, and gardens, ending at the kissaria (market).
The hotel, ryad, bungalows, cafe, and kissaria are all owned and operated by the CDG (state pension fund). The ryad is not currently operational, and its water system requires cleaning and rehabilitation. The northern part of the ryad has been covered in traditional zellige, obscuring the original architecture. The planting itself also requires extensive work, as much of the ryad is now overgrown.
In 2017 ACP received support from the Getty Foundation to create a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the Complex, transforming its abandoned buildings into pedagogical and cultural spaces. Using a participatory design approach that brings various stakeholders and the local community into the design process, a new phased masterplan for Sidi Harazem was developed. Phase one of the rehabilitation is currently underway: an adaptive reuse approach that will transform the market and hotel into cultural spaces for locals and visitors alike.
Watch the Thermal Station transform below, from its current condition to Aziza Chaouni Projects’ new masterplan!
