Institutions

Marrakech: Jardin Majorelle unveils its second temporary pavilion

29 October 2026·2 min read

The Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech has inaugurated “Nouala, le refuge mobile”, its second temporary pavilion, designed by architect Salsabil El Ouazzani. It reinterprets the nouala, a traditional reed and thatch hut, with a light, demountable structure.

Marrakech: Jardin Majorelle Unveils 'Nouala, the Mobile Refuge', Its Second Temporary Pavilion

On Wednesday, the Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech unveiled its second temporary pavilion, named 'Nouala, the Mobile Refuge'. It was designed by Salsabil El Ouazzani, a Moroccan architect who graduated from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and winner of the Fondation Jardin Majorelle Prize 2026. She won the 2nd edition of this national competition, dedicated to the next generation of Moroccan architects, on 15 May 2026 in Marrakech, ahead of 33 other entries.

The project reinterprets the nouala, the traditional hut of Morocco's countryside built from reeds and thatch, using the resources available in its surroundings. Installed in the garden of the Villa Oasis, the pavilion rests on a lightweight, dismountable structure made from simple, natural materials. Its assembly favours simplicity and reversibility. It is conceived as a space of transition and contemplation, inviting visitors to wander through the vegetation and offering an intimate experience in dialogue with the garden's landscape.

The jury selected the project for the suitability of its materials, the delicacy of its integration into the vegetation, the precision of its design and the realism of its execution, in a competition described as particularly close. The jury was chaired by Madison Cox, president of the Fondation Jardin Majorelle. Alongside him sat Karl Fournier, co-founder of Studio KO, Salima Naji, architect and anthropologist, and Alexis Sornin, director of the Musée Pierre Bergé des Arts Berbères and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech.

Madison Cox explained that the pavilion forms part of an approach aimed at making the garden a space for experimentation for emerging talent in Moroccan architecture. It gives them a showcase within one of the most visited cultural sites in the Kingdom. The initiative is renewable: a new version of the pavilion is entrusted every two years to the winner of the prize.

The pavilion hosts the exhibition 'The Birds of the Jardin Majorelle', on display since April 2026 and devoted to the bird species that visit the site throughout the year. It will be open to visitors from Thursday 29 October.

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