Building Resilience By Responding to Change: Case Study of Fes

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 15 - 29, 02.09.2019

Meltem Vatan Kaptan , Mohammed Belcadi

Abstract

Intangible values of cultural heritage give life and spirit to the tangible ones within their existing

environment and context. This aspect promotes cultural heritage as a living expression and certifies its

irreplaceable role to be a source of identity for communities and individuals to be protected and consigned

to posterity. The aim of this study is to explore the existing state of heritage buildings in Medina (old city)

of Fes in order to investigate the strategies developed to safeguard its unique cultural heritage. Restoring

historic house buildings by giving them new functions is a trend of adaptation to the modern life considered

within adaptive re-use strategy. Most of the historic houses are abandoned and few are restored or

converted into restaurants, guest houses, exhibition galleries and the like, intended for foreign visitors

located in the city as a symbol of an ancient civilization within adaptive re-use aspect.

The aim of this study is to explore Fes, a city of Morocco, inscribed in UNESCO's world heritage list in

order to examine adaptive re-use strategy as an investment in tourism sector to enhance the economic,

social and cultural resilience of communities. Expected result of this study is to discuss adaptive re-use

approach in cultural heritage preservation with its link to Sendai Framework for building resilience.

Keywords

Adaptive re-use, resilience, cultural heritage, Morocco-Fes, tourism

Thanks

The authors would like to thank BAu Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences where Mr. Mohammed Belcadi (Ms. Architect) studied his master and performed field studies and site survey within his Master Thesis which is not published anywhere yet. Mr. Belcadi had made the contact with the president of ADER Fez agency Mr. Serrhini, the architect Mr. Kabbaj and the director of uIR International university of Rabat prof. Dr. Bennani. The authors wish to thank for their time to make the interviews and their comments that greatly improved this study.

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