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The intricate decorative work that characterises Islamic art, from Africa across Europe to Asia, combines flowing lines with precision draughtsmanship and craftsmanship. Friezes in Arabic calligraphy that celebrate verses from the Qu’ran, or flower patterns and other motifs, form rich designs that offset the more rigid geometry of the floor plan.

Every surface of the built environment invited decoration of some kind. One of the marvels of the Hispano-Moorish style is that attention to detail was applied with equal dedication and skilful effect to both small domestic dwellings and large town buildings.

Precision design and highly developed craftsmanship characterise many Moroccan arts and crafts, amongst them ceramic tiles made to adorn every surface: floors, walls, and ceilings, indoors and outdoors. Here again is mathematical skill, used to generate intricate and meticulously symmetrical geometric patterns. The patterns appear also in wood carving, with extraordinary workmanship displayed in the ornamentation of architectural wonders like Marrakech’s Bahia Palace. In the ceramic tiles, known as zellige, we can glimpse some of the glorious colour that would have struck Matisse a century ago and that now strikes a chord with contemporary designers.

Colour, glowing bright or warm and earthy, is a crucial dimension of the charm of Moroccan style. It is not something added on to Moroccan architecture, but integral to it. Interior walls are traditionally painted using natural earth pigments. Iron, cobalt and other minerals endow the paints with deep and subtle colour: red, orange, yellow and blue. Rugs in complementary bright, yet earthy, colours add richness and texture to floors. Warm indigenous woods, like cedar wood, frame the doors and alcoves. Forget the dull, rectangular doors that we’re accustomed to: Moroccan doors are finely sculpted or ornamented with ornate metalwork forged by master craftsmen. Great care and fine detailing was often lavished on the front door, which fitted snugly into a horseshoe-shaped arch.  These doors too might feature the traditional repeating patterns that adorn the mosques, schools and domestic interiors. Moroccan handmade lamps, in stained glass or in metal and leather, are renowned world-wide amongst designers and those in the know about cutting edge trends in interior décor and international style trends.

The visual effect is extraordinarily modern: a blend of cheerful and subtle tones, cosmopolitan style with an ethnic flavour, and all pervaded by an organic and eco-friendly ambience. It is little wonder that as well as designers, Morocco’s buildings have attracted architects. Especially in Marrakech and Essaouira, riads have been snapped up, often by foreigners. They are rescued from ruin, renovated and relaunched, catering for the tourists who are all-important to Morocco’s economy. Some riads have become restaurants; many offer accommodation, from humble bed and breakfast establishments to upmarket hotels. Some restorations have featured in prestigious architectural journals.

See Also

Moroccan Architecture Part 1

Moroccan Architecture Part 2

Guest Writer: Mohamed Mughal (Kenya)