Centre de Congrès
Rabat

As a relatively young institution, the Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique solidified its identity with the architecture of its second campus in Rabat. Phase one of the masterplan opened in the autumn of 2024 and includes a conference centre hosting events of all different types, capacities, and participants, e.g. faculty lectures, industry conferences, and public performances. Beyond the provision of these facilities, the brief wanted the building to contribute to the overall character of the university and the quality of life on its campus.

The Centre de Congrès is located between the first and second phases of the master plan. It acts like a hinge joint, fitting together the two “arms” of the campus – an avenue of buildings and a more condensed cluster – to take people from one side to the other. Gesturing towards this idea of passage is a series of porticos along the edge of the site. Here, the same bright tiles are used for paving and cladding, then continue into the building for a natural progression from the patio to the lobby. Inside, decisions over the material treatment and furniture design are given as much importance as the urban strategy – a ‘total design’.

Defining the plan are two pure geometries, the circle and the square. The circle, a sweeping free-standing wall, forms a ring around the main auditorium, the square. The space between the two forms accommodates various smaller auditoriums, meeting rooms, bars and cafes, circulation, and services. There is also room for seating and assembly in the exterior courtyards, which enjoy views of the surrounding playing fields and wooded areas. Grand arches are carved into the circular wall such that they touch the ground only at the corners of the building, remaining open elsewhere. The effect is one of invitation to the Centre de Congrès, and what aims to be a dynamic, generous space for a rich combination of people and activities.