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T
he local architect behind the renovation of the world’s oldest library has
revealed that her biggest battle was not in saving the crumbling 1 200
year-old structure – but in opening its doors to the public. Aziza Chaouni
fought tirelessly to allow the ancient al-Qarawiyyin Library in Fez,
Morocco – first built in 859AD – to welcome all when it re-opens next
year.
Despite being the brains behind the vast site’s massive three-year
restoration job - which involved not only rejuvenating the crippled
structure but also upgrading its entire drainage system, a requirement
only discovered during the overhaul - the Fez-born engineer was met with resistance
from those set on maintaining its policy of allowing only students and scholars inside.
The library – which is part of a university and mosque buried deep within the packed
ancient city – was first born through the generosity of local woman Fatima al-Fihri.
Raised in the city the daughter of a wealthy merchant, she invested her entire
inheritance into the library, wanting to provide the Moroccan people with a place of
knowledge. Well aware of its history, Aziza took on this baton in her quest to make
its learning available to all, refusing to accept the responsibility of overseeing the
upgrade of the building if the finished product could not be enjoyed by those living in
the city, as it had been for the last 600 years.
Aziza said: “For the client, my job as an architect was simply to restore the library and
leave it as it was found. I disagreed with this approach. I voiced my concerns, stating
that restoring the library with the highest level of respect and architectural skill does
not help in making the library once again a beacon of knowledge and culture for its
foremost users: the inhabitants of Fez and Moroccans overall. I won’t hide from you
that being a woman demanded that I doubled my efforts into being heard, but heard I
finally was.”
Growing up in Fez, Aziza – like all other locals – could walk by the sprawling library
building, but the closest she could get to being inside would be the scowl of the
guard who sat outside its exterior walls. “What lay behind was a mystery to me,” the
Harvard and Columbia university’s alumni recalled. However, after being appointed
as the architect charged with restoring the grand building, her first encounter with
its interior was far from what she had imagined – its level of disrepair leaving her
astounded.
Rainwater was pouring in through the ancient roof and ceilings, leaving its deeprooted cracks seeping with moisture. The walls were chipped away and crumbling,
while centuries old tile mosaics on the floors of the library’s courtyards were cracked
and worn – their intricate patterns almost lost forever.
More than 24 000 books, 3 823 manuscripts, a Qa’ran from the ninth century, rare
literary collections and calligraphic scripts were all at desperate risk. A huge 300kg
chandelier had crashed down from its holding in one of the reading rooms, and even
the buildings more modern additions – electrical wiring installed to help secure its
most valuable contents, for example – hung exposed from the walls.
Speaking exclusively to the INDEX Design Series, who aim to unite designers and
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