A house on the west coast of Morocco, renovated by local craftsmen using local materials

Passing the gallery

Reportage: Philip Sakharov

Materials: - (c) Philippe Saharoff

Transfer: Yury Kazachkov

Magazine: (41) 2000

Two hundred kilometers from Marrakesh, on the west coast of Morocco, is the resort town of Essaouira, the ancient Mogador, a famous fishing port, which has gained world fame in recent years thanks to its surfing competitions. Usually here comes a huge number of tourists who want to explore the city walls or visit local artisans who make all sorts of crafts from Tui. In recent months, many people in Western Europe (they say that already more than three hundred!) Have bought houses in the old part of the city. Lovers of travel, not seeking to spend a holiday among a crowd of tourists, the most sensible way to go out of town, on the nature. Joel did just that. He first came to the neighborhood of Essaouira in the early 90s. It was here, in the village of Berber peasants, located on the road to Agadir, away from the tourist routes, Joel visited his friend. And once I learned that a house is being sold in the same village. Despite the dilapidation and the inevitable cost of repairs, he did not hesitate to make a purchase. So, the new owner got a small shady courtyard with fig trees, a living room, a bedroom and a terrace on the second floor. Respecting the architecture and customs of the country, Joel began to slowly restore the house, using the services of local craftsmen, using only local materials and not changing the original appearance of the house. The only thing he allowed himself was the construction of several arched vaults in a large room on the first floor, conditionally separating the kitchen, dining room and living room from each other. Stone-building work allowed to create all the usual comforts in the house: a sink and shelves for dishes and kitchen utensils appeared in the kitchen; in the living room - stone elevations, sofas, on which mattresses were laid; in the bathroom - washbasin and shower. The owner of the village grocery store Hassan offered his services as an architect, bricklayer, tiler, carpenter, plumber and interior decorator! Cabinetmaker Omar made furniture according to Joel’s sketches. When designing the fireplace, the host focused on the shape of the tombs of local saints - marabou. Curtains, lace curtains, bedspreads were brought from France, and accessories from travels to India, Iran, Venice and Morocco. Quite often - as far as work allows, usually five or six times a year - Joel's friends come to this Moroccan village and stop at his house. There they do something, read, drink tea on the terrace, bathe in the warm sea. Every day it is filled with sun, and the evenings run completely unnoticed in long friendly conversations by candlelight ...