Ouled Merzouk, Morocco
2023
I was awarded a travel bursary by my university to take part in an earth construction workshop in Ouled Merzouk in Morocco, a primarily earth-based village. Hosted by the local women’s association, this workshop consisted of earth testing and component combinations using locally sourced materials - clay-based earth, sand-based earth and straw; how these combination change with the type of application; construction techniques - rammed earth, adobe, render, stone wall; visits to architectural sites of interest and taking part in women-led professions such as weaving, bread making and pottery. On completion of the workshop, we had constructed our own walls with tried and tested applications of all these techniques.