Urban Morphology of the Medina: Migratory Flows and Hygiene in Rabat from the 19th to the Mid-20th Century

Abstract

Moroccan urban history is shaped by complex migratory dynamics, both internal migration and international migration, that reshaped the morphology of the city through the introduction of new ways of living in the medina, particularly under colonial rule. Until the Protectorate, the medina was shaped by religious values and the collective behavior that sought to achieve a sanitary balance that was closely linked to demographic balance. However, the arrival of the French Protectorate disrupted this equilibrium. On one hand, the influx of European populations led to a reconfiguration of urban spaces with the creation of new European cities, where public hygiene was central to urban planning, aligning with the global context of the "hygienist movement". On the other hand, the massive migration of rural Moroccan populations to the medinas, driven by work opportunities and the search for a better life, placed significant pressure on the traditional infrastructure of the medina, resulting in new urban practices. This demographic pressure contributed to the progressive degradation of infrastructure, a decline in quality of life, and the deterioration of public health, fostering the spread of diseases and epidemics.

This article examines the impact of migration on the urban morphology of housing in the medina of Rabat, shedding light on the transformations in practices and ways of living in the medina house (partitioning, vertical extension, subdivision, etc.) and their direct correlation with unsanitary conditions. This work adopts a historical and architectural perspective, aiming to better understand the influence of migratory movements on urban development and hygiene.