This cooperative project in social housing for 70 families, constructed in the M'zab valley finds inspiration in the stone architecture of Ben Isguen, and seeks to replicate the morphology of the narrow streets and the walled town in order to create social cohesion. At the same time the urban fabric has been amended to allow for new amenities such as automobiles. The layout includes ten semi-public spaces within the community, in varying shapes, sizes, and functions. The stone houses, were designed in a participatory process with the community members, and were built with the beneficiaries' participation, as were the stone-paved roads, the stone walls, and the community spaces and facilities.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture