Moroccan Architect Salima Naji Wins IMA’s Grand Prix du Design

The award was presented as part of the fourth edition of the IMA’s Design Prize, which brought together 26 finalist projects across four categories.

Casablanca – Moroccan architect Salima Naji has added another major international recognition to her growing list of accolades, winning the Grand Prix du Design from the Arab World Institute (IMA) on September 9.

The award was presented as part of the fourth edition of the IMA’s Design Prize, which brought together 26 finalist projects across four categories: Emerging Talent, Contemporary Craftsmanship, Impact, and the Grand Prix.

Naji received the Grand Prix for her Tiznit Living Heritage Center, a project that places Moroccan architectural heritage at the heart of contemporary design.

Heritage and contemporary design

Built inside the historic ramparts of Tiznit, dating back to the 19th Century, the center was constructed entirely from rammed earth, connecting the new building with the city’s historic surroundings.

The project reflects Naji’s long-standing approach to architecture, which places local materials and traditional building techniques at the center of contemporary construction.

Her practice works extensively with earth, stone, and bio-based materials, while exploring ways to preserve Morocco’s architectural heritage through new uses.

A long-standing commitment to Moroccan heritage

Naji founded her architectural practice in Morocco in 2004, focusing on heritage preservation, particularly in the country’s rural areas and southern regions.

She has been based in southern Morocco since 2008 and has worked across projects involving oasis architecture, restoration, public spaces, and sustainable construction.

Her work has earned several national and international distinctions, including the Terra Landscape Architectural Awards 2026, where the Tiznit project previously won first prize in the “Dialogue with Existing Cultural Landscape” category.

With the IMA’s Grand Prix now added to that list, Naji’s Tiznit project continues to show how Moroccan heritage can move beyond preservation and become part of a contemporary architectural language.