THE CASE OF MARRAKECH ANTHONY G. BIGIO THE WORLD BANK. The sustainability of urban heritage preservation

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1 THE CASE OF MARRAKECH ANTHONY G. BIGIO THE WORLD BANK The sustainability of urban heritage preservation

2 WB strategy for Moroccan medinas OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGY CASE STUDIES CARRIED OUT 1. Ensure the MARRAKECH preservation of the ESSAOUIRA cultural patrimony (already successful) 2. Develop the economic potential of medinas 3. Satisfy the basic TETOUAN needs of the medina SALE residents (still unaccomplished)

3 Strategy team and case study credits The research work was carried out in 2008 and was partially financed by a grant of the Culture and Development Trust Fund financed acedby the Italian Government ANTHONY G. BIGIO, World Bank Mokhtar Abdallaoui Maan, World Bank Gianni Brizzi, World Bank consultant Mohamed Chaoui, Ecole Nationale d Architecture, Morocco Daniele Pini, University of Ferrara, Italy Mohammed Taamouti, Haut Commissariat au Plan, Morocco June Taboroff, World Bank consultant

4 Marrakech, a unique medina One of the most ancient capital cities of Morocco Largest medina population p (182,000 in 2004) High percentage of residents in the medina (22%) Long-standing tradition of cosmopolitan attractiveness ti A success story of cultural assets-based economic growth

5 Case study research questions How did the medinacentered growth model develop and unfold? What impacts has it had on the city and the medina? Who are the winners and losers in the changes? Is the current growth model sustainable? Can it be replicated ed in other Moroccan medinas?

6 The medina-centered growth model Extraordinary attractiveness, assets, spirit of the historic city Tradition of international visitors and resident artists Public policies promoting global tourism and foreign investments Open skys attracting short stays visitors, secondary homes Very responsive s commercial c and handicrafts local sectors

7 Jamaa-El-Fna, the medina s heart Classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage INTANGIBLE cultural patrimony

8 Some indicators of economic growth TOURISM, COMMERCE, HANDICRAFTS AND CONSTRUCTION SECTORS ARE BOOMING Air passengers in 1995: 675,000; in 2006: 2,650, Classified hotels in 1992: 73; in 2006: 572 Hotel nights in 1992: 2.2m; 2 in 2006: 5.7m 30,000 business units and 90,000 employees of which respectively 42% and 31% in the medina (2001) Boutique hotels in the medina in1992: 1; in 2006: 700 Registered artisan units: 5,850 (2004)

9 Medina activities and its customers Customers Intra-muros residents Commercial activities Productive activities Tourism and Cultural and Basic Specialty Basic Specialty hospitality leisure services necessities products necessities products sectors strong weak strong weak weak weak Extra-muros strong weak weak weak weak weak residents Domestic tourists nil strong nil strong strong weak Foreign tourists nil strong nil strong strong strong Definitions: Commercial activities Basic necessities Basic food products, basic clothing, basic household products Commercial activities Specialty products Jewelry, expensive furniture, crafted articles Productive activities Basic necessities Household articles, furniture, construction materials Productive activities Specialty products Furniture, carpets, leather goods, crafted articles Tourism and hospitality services Hotels, boutique hotels, restaurants, cafés bars Cultural and leisure services Social centers, theatres, museums, gaming halls.

10 Rehabilitation of medina urban assets Vast public program of restoration of key monuments, city walls carried out Opening of important museums, some with private sector backing Medina rehabilitation plan established in 1981, WHS listing in1985, Medina Unit established in 2000

11 Riads, the medina boutique hotels Originally private homes with an internal garden patio Limited number of rooms Embedded in the urban fabric Restored using traditional design, materials, artisans Prized by foreign visitors, and quickly becoming a model for new construction o projects Causing local controversy

12 The booming real-estate market Very active in the medina, attracting foreign buyers Spill-over into new developments proposing typical riads and villas Some medina residents moving out and into modern housing units Real-estate market reaching into rural areas in the Marrakech vicinity

13 Decaying medina neighborhoods Some older, inner areas of the medina are decaying Residents unable to afford any rehabilitation efforts Cases of collapse of houses with human casualties Poverty and insecure tenure at the root of the problems 3,000 households relocated in 2000 from dangerous, decaying housing

14 Medina residents: social indicators Tenure status: owners: 51%; tenants: 37%; squatters: 12% Formal unemployment: 60% 8% of residents below poverty line (2004) Over 90% access to sanitation, water, electricity Illiteracy: male 20%, female 45% School attendance: 80%

15 Winners and losers in Marrakech WINNERS LOSERS Marrakech residents who Medina residents who benefit from a thriving city perceive the traditional social fabric as eroding Entrepreneurs, wage-earners across the entire urban area Medina renters who are threatened with eviction Medina residents for access to and cannot afford to buy infrastructure and services Small, local neighborhood Medina house-owners whose shopkeepers assets increase in value Poorest residents whose Marrakech artisans, commerce housing needs are ignored and tourism operators in the urban transformation

16 Marrakech: future sustainability issues Achieving the strategy objectives Mitigating growing externalities 1. Ensure the preservation Managing depletion of of the cultural patrimony: water resources in, achieved around the urban area 2. Develop the economic Addressing vehicular potential of medinas: congestion and urban achieved air pollution 3. Satisfy the basic needs Investing more in social of the medina residents: development in favor partially achieved of poor residents