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Eco Marrakech

Eco-friendly modern house in Marrakech

Formerly a furniture designer working in Italy and the USA the Swiss owner/builder of this ECO-friendly modern house outside Marrakech found the experience challenging. The design echoes the plain traditional farm houses of the region - Using handmade (on site) earth and straw bricks for the construction and traditional poles and sticks for the ceilings the house took 3 years to complete. The floors are 'Dess' a mix of cement and limestone which are cleaned using black olive soap. Water is supplied by well. Now a successful interior designer in Morocco (example www.babourika.com) the owner knows where to find quirky interesting antiques and vintage pieces. Local craftsman make up his own designs or copy old chairs or lights. At home he has mixed an original Verner Panton pendant light with old Saharwi leather and straw mats. He collected old farmhouse doors for the interior and had the giant iron framed doors and windows made locally. He likes Italian fabrics from Dedar mixed with African textiles. This is a house that entirely fits its surroundings, the interior and exterior walls coloured only by the local earth, and with an evolving garden based on farming traditions where a well-loved donkey, whose companions are 3 goats, is using for carting straw, grass clippings and prunings.