Wikipedia
Casablanca Cathedral
- Location
- Casablanca,Morocco
- Design firm
- Paul Tournon
- Typology
- Religious
- Years
- 1930–1952
- Status
- Complete
Facade facts
- Facade summary
- A monumental Art Deco and Neo-Gothic reinforced concrete facade featuring extensive geometric concrete screens (claustra) and dual towers resembling minarets.
- Documented intention
- Architect Paul Tournon sought to create a monumental Catholic structure that respected the local Moroccan context while utilizing the modern material of reinforced concrete. The synthesis of Neo-Gothic verticality and Islamic geometric patterns on the envelope reflects this regionalist adaptation.
- Street relationship
- Situated on the edge of the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, the cathedral acts as a highly visible urban landmark, with its white facade standing out against the surrounding greenery.
- Climate relationship
- The concrete claustra act as an effective shading device, mitigating solar heat gain while facilitating natural ventilation and diffused daylighting,suitable for Casablanca's Mediterranean climate.
- Window pattern
- Geometric mesh/grid
- Glazing
- Single glazing
- Depth
- Moderate, created by the thick concrete screens and recessed portals.
- Rhythm
- Strong vertical rhythm created by exterior buttresses,pilasters,and soaring twin towers.
- Reinforced concrete
- Reinforced concrete — Entire exterior envelope including towers and nave walls — Smooth painted
- Glass
- Glass — Windows integrated within concrete claustra grilles — Smooth
- Reinforced concrete structural wall
- Load-bearing reinforced concrete frame with cast-in-place concrete walls.
- Concrete claustra screen
- Precast or cast-in-place concrete 'claustra' (geometric openwork screens) forming integrated window traceries.
Tags
- 1951–1960
- 20th Century
- Art Deco
- Casablanca
- Casablanca-Settat
- Cast-in-place concrete
- Claustra screen
- Concrete load-bearing wall
- Csa
- Cultural
- Fixed concrete screen
- Geometric mesh
- Glass
- Interwar Period
- Moderate
- Morocco
- Paul Tournon
- Perforated screen window
- Plaster
- Precast concrete claustra
- Religious
- Single glazing
- Urban
- and soaring twin towers.
- grid
- pilasters
- reinforced concrete
- suitable for Casablanca's Mediterranean climate.
Description
The facade of the Casablanca Cathedral is characterized by its white-painted reinforced concrete construction. It features twin towers on the main facade that draw inspiration from both Gothic cathedrals and traditional Moroccan minarets. The exterior walls are punctuated by extensive systems of concrete 'claustra' (openwork grilles) that form geometric patterns, allowing filtered light into the interior while maintaining structural integrity.
Visual analysis
The stark white color combined with the highly repetitive, patterned voids of the claustra gives the facade a lightweight, textile-like quality despite its massive concrete construction.
Gallery
Sources
- Casablanca: Colonial Myths and Architectural Ventures · Jean-Louis Cohen, Monique Eleb
- Sacré-Cœur Cathedral of Casablanca · Mutual Heritage