The Bouregreg Valley
THE PROJECT IN SUMMARY
The valley, called "the Bouregreg Valley", located between Rabat and Salé is geographically very large and occupy nearly 6,000 hectares. This complex landscape, both by its composition in various entities and by its multiple actors, unfolds in the heart of the double ??? capital of the kingdom of Morocco.
For more than ten years, the future of this valley has been under study, directed by The Agency for the Development of the Bouregreg Valley, an organization created for this purpose. Several land use plans followed one another until the approval of the Special Development Plan (PAS - Plan d’Aménagement Spécial), mainly focused on urbanization. The difficulties encountered in its implementation have inspired the initiative of a new type of structural plan: The Landscape Orientation Plan (POP - Plan d’Orientation Paysager).
It is now important to take a new turn in land use planning, and further exploit to value and stimulate the rich landscape already in place. The analysis, diagnosis, and findings made it possible to obtain a common vision for this valley; a metropolitan park.
Intensifying and diversifying the green framework while enhancing the presence of water will give a completely different image to this now depreciated valley. By weaving a fine mesh of soft mobilities of various types, the valley will no longer constitute a border between Rabat and Salé. Its discovery and exploration will be supported by the implementation of various programs: sports and recreation, culture, heritage, education, productive landscape, nature reserves. The work of these four webs (which 4 webs – corridors, network, mesh?) will allow the land to connect with its context, to integrate into its immediate environment without forming any more rupture or fracture.
To make this valley a real metropolitan park, it is important not only for this landscape to be experienced, visited and observed, but also to be inhabited. This way, a light urbanization of the hillsides in continuity with the existing urban areas will allow the landscape of the Bouregreg valley to harmonize with its neighboring urban fabric.
The Landscape Orientation Plan seeks to bring out the future metropolitan park of the Bouregreg Valley, an outstanding and innovative example in the heart of the Mediterranean basin. To ensure the continuation of the study towards certain operational strategies, seven "project sheets" and a landscape charter will constitute the following missions.
