Nador lagoon in transition

LaLiMed fieldtrip workshop

Nador, Morocco

International workshop part of the LaLiMed Erasmus+Project, with students from ENA-Rabat, ENSA-Marseille, ENSP-Marseille, UL-Bruxelles, Iuav

Coordination: Luca Velo, Andrea Iorio, Nicola Russolo
MA Architecture design studio Sustainable Urban Design & Performance
(A. Iorio, L. Velo, L. Zilio)

The workshop

LaLiMed Nador Lagoon in Transition workshop brings together architecture, urbanism, and landscape as complementary perspectives through which to explore the complex coastal territory of the Nador Lagoon, Morocco. Conceived primarily as an educational experience for first-year students of the Master’s Degree in Architecture, the workshop aims to refine their ability to observe, interpret, and represent complex environments characterized by the interplay of urban, ecological, and social dynamics.

The workshop is designed as an exploratory activity closely tied to field experience. Direct observation, site visits, and territorial walk-throughs will serve as the starting point for a critical reinterpretation of its spatial forms, ongoing projects, and transformation processes. Rather than immediately jumping to design solutions, students will be asked to document, redraw, and reinterpret the lagoon landscape, identifying relationships, tensions, and emerging conditions capable of suggesting new conceptualizations for its future.
The programme will alternate theoretical lectures, field activities, and collaborative studio work. 
The first day will be dedicated to introducing the geographical, environmental, urban, and socio-economic context of Nador and its lagoon. 
The second and third days will focus on intensive site visits and field investigations across a series of selected areas along the lagoon territory. 
In the final days, students will work collectively to organize, compare, and reinterpret the materials gathered in the field, translating their observations into maps, drawings, diagrams, and conceptual scenarios.
The workshop will conclude with a public presentation and a final discussion of the outcomes with professors, guest experts, and representatives of local institutions, providing an opportunity to share different readings of the Nador Lagoon and reflect on its ongoing transformations and potential futures.

Mobility Support

Selected students participating in the workshop will receive a mobility grant of 600 euros as a partial contribution towards their expenses. This financial support is subject to full attendance of the educational activities and the successful acquisition of the expected 2 CFU.

Call for applications

You can apply for the "Nador Lagoon in Transition" workshop by filling out the application form available beside on this page. Please ensure that all mandatory fields are completed and upload a motivation letter in PDF format (maximum 3 pages, A4 format, pictures may be included. The letter template is on this webpage).

The deadline for submitting applications is October 3, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

Selection
– Motivation letter (up to 20 points)
– Additional bonus for first-year students (10 points)

The final ranking list of selected participants will be published on the university website, on this webpage, starting from October 7, 2026.
Selected students who regularly attend all workshop activities will be awarded 2 CFU under Type D activities.