zaha hadid plans rabat grand theatre for morocco

zaha hadid architects have signed an agreement to design a new multi-purpose theater in morocco with the bouregreg valley development agency. with a dedicated land area of 47,000 square meters and a gross floor area of 27,000 sqm, the ‘rabat grand theatre’ will be equipped with a number of cultural facilities, including a 2,050-seat theater, a smaller 520-seat theater, creative studios and an outdoor amphitheater with a capacity to hold up to 7,000 people. the cost of the project is estimated at around 163 million USD.

rendered in context
image by methanoia (also main image)

the site for the projects is the geographic center between the twin cities of rabat and salè; the historic kasbag oudayas to the northwest, the ancient city of salè and airport to the north-east, chellah and the royal palace to the south-west and the proposed sequence III of amwaj development to the east.

entryway

the design takes off from the adjacent bouregreg river: in a similar dynamic manner, the landscape of the park is generated in a single gesture to engulf the amphitheater. the ground extends to the sky, resulting in a sculpted envelope over the two auditoriums and arches back down to the ground level to melt into the landscape. the form is a seamless structure, creating a spatial experience that directs the visitors intuitively through the main foyer and programs.

alongside the bouregreg river

image by methanoia

project info:

program: grand theatre, multi-purpose theatre, amphitheatre
client: agence pour l’aménagement de la valléè du bouregreg
design: zaha hadid with patrik schumacher
associate: nils peter fisher
project leader: william tan
project team: torsten broeder, martin krcha, hoda nobakhti, rafael contreras, yevgeniya pozigun, michal treder
structure engineer: adams kara taylor
MEP engineer: maxfordhamacoustics & theatre: artec consultant
facade: donnell consultants incorporated
lighting: office for visual interaction inc
site area: approx. 47,000 m2
gross floor area: approx. 27,000 m2