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Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage

Morocco
Factors affecting the property in 2019*
  • Housing
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
Factors identified at the inscription of the property:
  • Major urban projects for the city and for the Bouregreg Valley and the lack of impact assessments in order to guarantee the visual integrity of the property and its surrounding areas
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2019
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2019**

May 2018: joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Advisory mission

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2019

Upon request from the World Heritage Centre, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report on 22 February 2019.

In its report, the State Party provided information on the major development scheme launched in 2014 entitled "Rabat, light city and cultural capital of Morocco", which aims to augment economic, social and cultural infrastructure in and around the city. This includes an extension to the Railway Station in the property, a new theatre, a new National Museum of Archaeology and Science, underground car parks, and proposed new urban landscapes in the buffer zone, and a high-rise “O Tower”, immediately outside the buffer zone.

The report also responds to the recommendations of the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Advisory mission invited by the State Party to visit the property from 2 to 5 May 2018. It has further provided an assessment of progress made with conservation and management of the property since its inscription on the World Heritage List.

The State Party indicated that a Special Management Plan for the Bouregreg Valley (Plan d’Aménagement Spécial de la vallée de Bouregreg - PAS) will be delivered between the end of 2018 and 2021. In phase 1 of the Plan, is the now partially completed Grand Theatre, which is reported to have no direct adverse visual impact on the property, and the restoration of nearby Chellah.  Further phases will provide extensive new mixed-use facilities, improvements to infrastructure and the development of “O Tower” as its centrepiece on the right bank of the river.

According to the documentation provided by the State Party, the “O Tower” is planned as the tallest tower in Africa with 55 storeys; it will provide a luxury hotel, offices and apartments. The “O Tower” is located in project zone ZP3, where no height restrictions are in place and where a group of high-rise buildings had been planned.  In response to the Advisory mission’s recommendations related to the concern that the potential adverse visual impact of the 250 metre high tower on the property will be on the entire city of Rabat (which has a horizontal profile with connections to the surrounding landscape), and on the advice that it should be re-located elsewhere, the State Party states that the tower was designed to be seen as a ‘postmodern reflective mirror’ for the property and a continuation of its modernization. It also maintains that there are insufficient guidelines to allow an understanding of how impact of projects beyond buffer zones might be assessed.

The report explains that the proposed infrastructure developments of the scheme include a six lane southern bypass, 8km in length, with a viaduct over the Bouregreg valley, as well as the extension to the Railway Station within the Old City.

In relation to the mission’s recommendations on the Railway Station, the State Party explains that major amendments to the plans were not possible given the progress with construction works by the time of the mission, but its recommendations have been taken into consideration by the railway company in relation to the use of the old station, the intersection with the wall, the use of the ancient building, and the reductions of breakthroughs.

Details have been provided on the progress with the implementation of the management plans and on extensive restoration projects, such as market areas, houses under threat, the Almoravid walls, the Chellah archaeological site, the Hassan Tower, and the Essais Gardens, and in the buffer zone, for the reconstruction of the former Alawite palace and military hospital, the restoration of Fort Hervé, which was in an advance state of decay at the time of inscription, and the start of the restoration of the medina of Salé.

Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2019

The detailed descriptive State Party report provides information on a wide range of projects that have been undertaken since inscription and many more that are proposed. These projects are part of an extensive ‘Rabat, light city and cultural capital of Morocco’ a re-development scheme to augment economic, social and cultural infrastructure in and around the city through restoration, rejuvenation, and new development projects. This scheme encompasses not only the property but also the wider Bouregreg Valley, with a major new urban area, partly in the buffer zone and partly beyond.

  • This large urban development will provide tourist and leisure structures, such as the Grand Theatre and an Archaeological and Science Museum, as well as residences and commercial properties, and will be linked to Rabat and Sale by a new six-lane highway. The proposed 250 metre tall “O Tower” on the Salé side of the river, just next to the buffer zone, is seen as its centrepiece. Many interventions are also planned within the property such as for underground car parks.

Although descriptions of the main components of these major schemes have been provided, no detailed plans have been submitted to the World Heritage Centre so far. The projects are said to comply with the planning framework provided at the time of inscription, but formal Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) have not been undertaken to ensure that they not only confirm with planning constraints but also with World Heritage inscription in terms of respecting the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property. Although, progress has been made with implementing the Management Plan, a robust structure to assess adequately the potential impact of the proposed and ongoing projects on the property is missing.

At the time of inscription the Committee recommended that Heritage Impact Studies should be undertaken for the proposed major urban projects and the development of the Bouregreg Valley, in particular, in order to guarantee the integrity of the property and its surroundings from visual impacts, and that details of projects should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre, for review by ICOMOS, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines. No full details or HIAs have been provided to the World Heritage Centre so far. It should also be noted that in the Nomination file (page 281), the State Party noted that it was “the wish of the King and the results of the architectural studies conclude that the Bouregreg Valley should have projects reflecting the original character of Morocco with authenticity and refinement and not advocating a foreign modernism.”

The ICOMOS February 2018 technical review of the Train Station suggested that an Advisory mission be undertaken in order to provide support in the definition of the project’s adaptation parameters to avoid any negative impact on the OUV of the property. The World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Advisory mission took place in May 2018 and examined the extension to the Railway Station in the property. Alongside, it also considered a new theatre and new urban landscapes in the buffer zone and the high-rise “O Tower”, next to the buffer zone.

The mission considered the extension to the Railway Station too large and dominant in the way it impacted the city walls both visually and physically but no negative impacts were envisaged on the Grand Theatre. With regards to the proposed “O Tower”, it was considered that it would have highly damaging visual impacts on the Kasbah Oudaïas, the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of King Mohamed V, in terms of diminishing their visual dominance. The mission suggested that the location of the tower should be re-considered.

Although no HIAs have been undertaken for any of these projects, the State Party report suggests that clear guidelines on developments beyond the buffer zone are necessary to enable decisions on the impact of these towers to be made. What is missing, though, are Heritage Impact Assessments to evaluate the impacts of the ongoing and proposed projects on the OUV for each of the components of the World Heritage property.

There is thus an urgent need for planning processes to be augmented to recognize the need for development works to respect and protect the OUV of the property. In relation with the projects to build high-rise buildings within the buffer zone and wider setting, there appears to be an over-arching need for a skyline study and 3D models of the urban area that could identify more clearly the acceptable heights of buildings in relation to the important views and integrity of the property. The development projects, as landscape transformations and through individuals elements, have the possibility to impact adversely the OUV of the property in variety of ways and to varying degrees, both individually and collectively.

Even though some of these projects are at an advanced stage, it is essential that full details are provided for each of them, including both restoration and development works, together with the necessary HIAs in order to understand when and what type of mitigation measures may be necessary. In terms of the “O Tower”, there is a clear need for impact assessments to be undertaken at the earliest opportunity bearing in mind the approach of 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL Recommendation), and these should include visualizations (such as skyline studies and 3D digital or physical models) prepared to international standards in order to assess the full impact on the property’s OUV and whether and how mitigation measures might be undertaken. Meanwhile, until impact assessments have been submitted and assessed, further work on “O Tower” should be halted.

As the consolidated report on the Implementation Survey of the HUL Recommendation, presented to the 206th session of the Executive Board, concluded, there is an obvious need for capacity building on the HUL Recommendation approach. The Committee might wish to recommend that a technical workshop should be undertaken to provide training and guidance on the HUL approach to site management of the urban World Heritage properties in the region, including on tools and guidelines for integrating the protection of the OUV with urban development plans and policies in the wider setting and for the elaboration of HIAs. This is necessary to support the preparation of impact assessments and studies on possible visual impact on the integrity, prior to inviting a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission to the property.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2019
43 COM 7B.52
Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage (Morocco) (C 1401)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B.Add,
  2. Recalling Decision 36 COM 8B.18, adopted at its 36th session (Saint Petersburg, 2012),
  3. Takes note of the details provided in the report of the State Party which describes the major development scheme "Rabat, light city and cultural capital of Morocco" designed to augment economic, social and cultural infrastructure through restoration, rejuvenation, and new development in the property and its buffer zone, including a major urban landscape transformation of the Bouregreg river valley to link the cities of Rabat and Salé;
  4. Deeply regrets that full details of this scheme and of its individual component projects have not been provided in advance and for review by ICOMOS in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines; and that no Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) have been submitted to the World Heritage Centre, as requested by the Committee at the time of inscription;
  5. Regrets that it has only been possible to carry out minor modifications to the Railway Station extension to mitigate its impact on the City Walls;
  6. Notes with concern the potentially adverse visual impact that the proposed “O Tower” would have on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and requests that the State Party provide full details of all the ongoing and proposed major restoration and development projects and necessary HIAs to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any further commitments are made on these projects, including those intended to be part of the major development scheme "Rabat, light city and cultural capital of Morocco";
  7. Encourages the State Party to implement the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) to integrate the protection of the OUV of the property with urban development, including urban development in its wider setting;
  8. Recommends that the State Party convene, as soon as possible, a Technical Workshop for the World Heritage property in Rabat, and if possible also for the sites in the Maghreb region, to provide training and capacity reinforcement to site management on tools and guidance for implementing the HUL approach, as well as for the elaboration of HIAs that could help the State Party prepare the assessments necessary for review by the Advisory Bodies;
  9. Following the Technical Workshop, also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, as well as the following documents for examination by the World Heritage Committee:
    1. Skyline study of the property in its setting in the Bouregreg Valley,
    2. A 3D digital or physical model of the property and its volumes in its setting in the Bouregreg Valley,
    3. Heritage Impact Assessments following the ICOMOS Guidelines for the major projects ongoing and proposed,
    4. 3D and spatial studies of the potential individual and cumulative impact on the OUV of the property,
    5. Evidence of integration of the management plan for the property with the city development plan and architectural design guidelines in line with the HUL approach;
  10. Finally strongly recommends the State Party, following the review of these documents by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission to the property for further assessment; the report of which will be for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session in 2021.
Draft Decision: 43 COM 7B.52

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B.Add,
  2. Recalling Decision 36 COM 8B.18, adopted at its 36th session (Saint Petersburg, 2012),
  3. Takes note of the details provided in the report of the State Party which describes the major development scheme "Rabat, light city and cultural capital of Morocco" designed to augment economic, social and cultural infrastructure through restoration, rejuvenation, and new development in the property and its buffer zone, including a major urban landscape transformation of the Bouregreg river valley to link the cities of Rabat and Salé;
  4. Deeply regrets that full details of this scheme and of its individual component projects have not been provided in advance and for review by ICOMOS in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines; and that no Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) have been submitted to the World Heritage Centre, as requested by the Committee at the time of inscription;
  5. Regrets that it has only been possible to carry out minor modifications to the Railway Station extension to mitigate its impact on the City Walls;
  6. Notes with concern the potentially adverse visual impact that the proposed “O Tower” would have on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and requests that the State Party provide full details of all the ongoing and proposed major restoration and development projects and necessary HIAs to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any further commitments are made on these projects, including those intended to be part of the major development scheme "Rabat, light city and cultural capital of Morocco" ;
  7. Encourages the State Party to implement the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) to integrate the protection of the OUV of the property with urban development, including urban development in its wider setting;
  8. Recommends that the State Party convene, as soon as possible, a Technical Workshop for the World Heritage property in Rabat, and if possible also for the sites in the Maghreb region, to provide training and capacity reinforcement to site management on tools and guidance for implementing the HUL approach, as well as for the elaboration of HIAs that could help the State Party prepare the assessments necessary for review by the Advisory Bodies;
  9. Following the Technical Workshop, also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2020, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, as well as the following documents for examination by the World Heritage Committee:
    1. Skyline study of the property in its setting in the Bouregreg Valley,
    2. A 3D digital or physical model of the property and its volumes in its setting the Bouregreg Valley,
    3. Heritage Impact Assessments following the ICOMOS Guidelines for the major projects ongoing and proposed,
    4. 3D and spatial studies of the potential individual and cumulative impact on the OUV of the property,
    5. Evidence of integration of the management plan for the property with the city development plan and architectural design guidelines in line with the HUL approach;
  10. Finally strongly recommends the State Party, following the review of these documents by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission to the property for further assessment; the report of which will be for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session in 2021.
Report year: 2019
Morocco
Date of Inscription: 2012
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (ii)(iv)
Documents examined by the Committee
arrow_circle_right 43COM (2019)
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.


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