Morocco 2030: Cities in Transition, Landscapes in Tension

by Mazourga Chaima,  Master 2 Sustainable Landscaping and Rehabilitation of Degraded Areas – Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Horticultural Complex of Agadir.

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children."  -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

There is a profound, almost weightless responsibility in the act of borrowing. When a generation acknowledges that the soil beneath their feet is a loan from those yet to come, the rhythm of development must necessarily change. It was this precise realization that breathed life into the inaugural Landscape Forum – Forum du Paysage, held on 10 January 2026, within the Horticultural Complex of Agadir. In the race toward a modern horizon, young voices of junior practitioners stood together to ensure that the pulse of progress does not drown out the ancient, fragile identity of our land. The forum was a collective breath taken amidst the frenetic rush of transition and a strategic pause to synchronise our modern ambitions with our ecological inheritance.

The Polyphonic Effort of Identity If the landscape is the manuscript of our identity, then protecting it requires a polyphonic effort. This was the central objective of the forum: to move beyond the aesthetic and discuss landscape identity as the vital foundation of Moroccan sovereignty and heritage.

"Modernity does not necessarily mean vitality... identity is a process of growth, a movement that combines the past with the future." - Hassan Fathy

To translate this "process of growth" into reality, the forum acted as a rapprochement between architects, landscape architects, foresters, and ecologists. By dismantling professional silos, this junior-led initiative sought to create a Network capable of harmonising the pace of urban change. It was an acknowledgement that while an individual may design a structure, only a transdisciplinary community can sustain a territory.

If this first edition was an 'œuvre chorale,' its final note was one of quiet but profound responsibility. We recognise that this forum is but a first, humble step. Yet, it has succeeded in turning a professional necessity into a vital cultural milestone, proving that the landscape is the ultimate bridge between our heritage and our future. Through this journey, we wish to assert a single, guiding truth: We do not just inhabit the land, we are its dialogue.

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