Souq of Assa

The Souq, or Arabian marketplace, has historically functioned as a central node of the Arabian urban fabric. Traditionally situated adjacent to public spaces in a symbiosis of activation, the Souq serves as both a commercial hub and a catalyst for social agency within the Arabian City. This thesis project, situated in Assa, Morocco, addresses the disregard of the Souq in today’s context amidst the rampant importation of Western consumerism. Through providing a plan of urban renewal and a new souq linking the varied spaces of Assa, this thesis aims to bring a holistic, context-sensitive model of shopping back into the Arabian city of today.