The Kaouki Hill Story
Once upon a time in Iskoha Sidi Kaouki there were two pieces of bush land next to each other. One had been cleared and a small Beldi house had been left abandoned for years. The other much bigger piece was wild and unused, it was sandy, scrubby and prickly Argan forest untouched by human hand except for the old ladies who harvested the Argan crop each year and the odd passing Shepherd and his flock. We thought let's build a quick villa and move on to another piece of land that more fitted our brief. We soon realised nothing is quick in Morocco and things rarely end up how you imagine them as the second smaller land came up for purchase so we bought it, converted the house and made it our own. 8 years on, a lot of money and two children later here we are still designing and building our piece of paradise called Kaouki Hill.
The land that has become Kaouki Hill had not immediately captured our imagination but the ancient trees were special and the picture postcard views through the branches framed the charming valley views out to the Atlantic coast. The ugly house next door was a big problem but the price was fair so with much deliberation (and a leap of faith) we decided to buy.
Living on the land enabled us to really understand what we bought, the environment and the region. The concept formed itself with time and effort. We soon realised there were lots of restrictions created by; the 100 protected Argan trees, the prevailing north winds that are strong enough year round to dictate the direction buildings need to face and the way they should be constructed. The fact that brutal south winds bring rain off the ocean in the winter months and animals can easily jump low walls and eat the garden, the list felt endless but slowly and surely we started turning these problems into advantages and through designing multiple villas and two versions of a tourism project we eventually found that the best way forward was to let the project design itself. ​​
Kaouki Hill Is and always will be a family enterprise
We are proud to say we have not cut down one Argan tree at Kaouki Hill
It took time but we realised this was a gift something most designers and builders never get to do due to strict planning laws and regulations. It was simply impossible to accurately place large buildings on plan everything had to be sketched and then measured out stitching each area in between the trees taking advantages of clear spots where we could.
Water is a massive issue in Iskoha, after drilling a 106M well and getting salty rotten water we have been at the mercy of expensive deliveries. This, drought and animals has dictated the low maintenance garden we now have. Using the concept of plants resembling coral and sea weeds, the use of succulents and wild natives has resulted in a garden that is both beautiful and resilient to its environment.
Doing much of the construction and design work ourselves with the local village men and Edoardo Miotti Architecte has allowed us to smooth out design and build challenges as we go. It's been an unorthodox way of working but a rewarding one. One that has resulted in the creation of something truly rare and unique.
