DOMAINE ROYAL PALM / Marrakech, Morocco
project data
project type: private development, resort, residential
project date: 2008
project size: n/a
project team: Alberto Giorgiutti
Domaine Royal Palm is a large resort consisting of 175 private homes, two five-star hotels, an 18-hole golf course, a country club, a complete organic farm and orchard, offices, and extensive public spaces, on a total of 688 acres. The main concept lies in the ambition to create a coherent landscape, a large park, in an appropriately planned site. All facilities, residences, and other buildings are integrated within the logic of planning. The project seeks to address the requirements of a sustainable development and bring environmental awareness.

The plants used are composed mostly of native species. There are two species of trees, Phoenix dactilifera and centuries-old olive trees. The vegetation layer is composed of large areas of grasses species and varieties of low water consumption lawns and other ground cover plants.

The landscape design includes the collection of rainwater for later re-use and aquifer recharge, making the percentage of permeability of soil of the entire site over 70%. Each plot has a different design of the gardens, with all separation walls made of adobe. All buildings are constructed with fired clay brick, using local traditional construction methods.