Morocco’s national pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale has drawn significant attention with its focus on earthen architecture and its potential in contemporary construction.Titled Materiae Palimpsest, the pavilion is designed by Moroccan architects Khalil Mourad El Ghilali and El Mehdi Belyasmine. The project aims to create a dialogue between traditional knowledge of earth-based construction and modern engineering practices
At the heart of the pavilion stand 72 columns made from various forms of earth — including rammed earth, adobe, cob, and brick — all constructed using a post-tensioning system developed by El Ghilali to enhance seismic resistance. This technique has previously been applied in projects across Moroccan villages and successfully withstood the 6.9-magnitude earthquake of 2023.
El Ghilali believes that much of the valuable knowledge of traditional construction is being forgotten and must be reimagined through a contemporary lens. He sees the widespread use of concrete as a consequence of globalization that has weakened local architectural identities. According to him, returning to natural we materials such as earth offers a path toward building that is faster, more resilient, and culturally authentic.
Morocco’s pavilion is part of a global movement focusing on sustainable architecture and natural materials. Other countries, such as Mexico and Turkey, have also emphasized the value of earth-based construction at this year’s Biennale. In addition, Morocco, in collaboration with other Arab nations, has proposed the inclusion of earthen architecture on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list — a significant step toward preserving, reimagining, and passing on this valuable legacy to future generations.