In 2015, Casablanca will be able to boast that it has the largest theatre in Africa and in the Arab world. Architects Rachid Andaloussi from Morocco and Christian Portzamparc from France (born in Casablanca in 1944) won the international contest to realize the theatre CasaArt, a new space for art and culture which will be built, in the middle of the town of Casablanca on the place Mohammed V an area of the metropolis dedicated to the performing arts.
In 2015, Casablanca will be able to boast that it has the largest theatre in Africa and in the Arab world. Architects Rachid Andaloussi from Morocco and Christian Portzamparc from France (born in Casablanca in 1944) won the international contest to realize the theatre CasaArt, a new space for art and culture which will be built, in the middle of the town of Casablanca on the place Mohammed V an area of the metropolis dedicated to the performing arts.
The considered candidates included Franck Ghery (the USA), Saad Benkirane (Morocco), Mecanoo (Netherlands) and Abderrahim Sijilmassi, Rem Khoolaas (Netherlands) and Kilo Architectures (Morocco), Zaha Hadid (Iraq) and Omar Alaoui (Morocco) and the Cabinet Rachid Lazrak.
The Jury considered the winning proposal the most difficult and enthusiastic. Christian Portzamparc world renound for design of auditoriums stated "I like to design architectural forms for music, for listening and watching, two fields of perception". Andaloussi, architect of the National Library of Rabat, affirmed that he is happy to work towards the realization of this project in Casablanca, city which he remains very attached to.
Based on an alternation of levels, the new complex will extend over a surface area of nearly 25,000 m2, and will include a large multi function performance hall of 1800 places, a theatre of 600 places, stores, meeting places, a library, an exhibition hall and art galleries.
