Among the actions planned for the 65th anniversary of the tragic earthquake of 1960 in Agadir, is the development of the old post-earthquake commemorative squares. The estimate of the cost of services was set at 16.8 MDH.
If the coastline remains the preferred destination for tourists in Agadir, the promotion of the architectural heritage before and after the devastating earthquake of Monday February 29, 1960 should consolidate the attractiveness of the city as planned in the Urban Development Program (PDU) of Agadir 2020-2024.
Among the projects that are currently awaited, especially as the 65th anniversary of the tragic earthquake approaches, is the development of the old memorial squares for 16.8 million dirhams.
In detail, the work concerns the Rialto cinema squares adjoining building “A”, the Crown Prince square, the Town Hall square opposite the municipality as well as the central market.
A sectoral development and protection plan for the urban center
As a reminder, the sectoral development and protection plan for the urban center and tourist and seaside sector of the city of Agadir was approved in a context marked by the resurgence of acts of architectural disfigurement of buildings constructed during the time of the High Commission. for the reconstruction of Agadir (HCRA).
At the time, no regulatory document existed for the protection of this architectural heritage. From now on, the provisions of the said development plan protect the main conservation area of the city center which is the main heritage core initiated by the HCRA. A census of buildings before and after the Agadir earthquake – which are of public interest from a historical, cultural and especially architectural point of view – was carried out to register them as national heritage. This is split into two categories and includes more than 80 sites in total.
The first category brings together the buildings that survived the 1960 earthquake. They are known like the back of their hand. Among them, the historic site of Agadir Oufella, already rehabilitated. Added to this are more modern sites such as the Salam cinema, the municipality building, which is currently the headquarters of the wilaya of the Souss-Massa region, in addition to the Sibra building, commonly called Seven Floors, the Youssef Ben Tachfine high school, the “Paternelle” building as well as the Satas stairs, among others.
The second category, for its part, brings together all the buildings which have been constructed since the establishment of the High Commission for Reconstruction. This category also requires special preservation since it includes reference works from the period of reconstruction of Agadir after the earthquake. Many architects of the reconstruction of Agadir contributed to this operation. They mainly come from the modernist movement which brings together figures such as Elie Azagury, Michel Ecochard, Mourad Ben Embarek, Henri Tastemain, Jean-François Zevaco, Patrice de Mazières, Abdeslem Faraoui, Louis Rioux, Armand Amzallag, among others.
Modern architecture: Agadir, an experimental nursery
Note that it is in the city center that the majority of buildings developed between 1963 and 1973 are concentrated. Starting with the Wall of Commemoration, also called Wall of Remembrance, dedicated to the victims of the 1960 earthquake on which is recorded the declaration of King Mohammed V the day after the earthquake: “If destiny has decided on the destruction of Agadir, its reconstruction will depend on our faith and our will (…)”.
Other notable buildings include Building A, Building D, the main post office, the municipal market, the fire station, and the Souss El Alima college. After the earthquake, the city was a major site of reconstruction and rebirth.
Certainly, the famous architect Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, known as Le Corbusier, did not work on this pharaonic project as the Gadiris hoped, but his disciples applied many of his theories to the modern architecture of Agadir. This was the case, in particular, in the administrative district and in the new town with the strong presence of raw concrete in the buildings.
These were built vertically in a functional architecture style with an emphasis on lighting and ventilation. Agadir then became an experimental hotbed for modern architecture, which, at the time, seemed to be the state’s official choice in urban planning. All this has appeared in several works, including the central post office, the fire station, schools and official housing by Jean-François Zevaco; building A by Louis Rioux and Henri Tastemain; the town hall by Emile Duhon; the health delegation in Talborjt and the “sadad” court (current administrative court) by Elie Azagury; the wholesale market and its dome as well as the municipal market by Claude Verdugo…
Yassine Saber / ECO Inspirations
