An extensive analysis on the boulevard of Casablanca, La Corniche, showed that this large leisure area acts as an exclusive strip that surrounds itself with clubs that act as a border between the boulevard and the ocean. Thereby turning the focus on the artificiality of the boulevard instead of on the natural landscape of the beach and the ocean. Multiple methods and instruments were used to conduct this research, such as finding the components that form the boulevard on the larger scale as well as looking at the clubs on an individual level by dissecting each club separately to be able to interpret them as logics of the escapes. Deriving from this research is the position that I have taken where I find it a shame that the focus is put on the artificiality of the boulevard instead of giving the natural landscape of the coastline the leading role. Thereby my aim is to redirect this focus towards the ocean, to open up the borders of the clubs and to tackle the exclusivity of the boulevard, creating a gradual transition from boulevard to the beach that is freely accessible for anyone. This will eventually lead to the creation of an urban park landscape, reappropriated by local governments. To achieve this goal a method is applied that uses existing, mostly vacant, structures of five different clubs and merges them together into a new project, using their architectural characteristics as a quality within the new design. By doing so, I am tackling the issues that I have found right at its core and use them to turn it into the exact opposite. Three design strategies were applied as a tool in creating the new project: using contrasts between the solid geometric architectural implementations versus the unpredictable organic forms of the natural landscape to complement the beauty of one another, creating different experiences and sensations in the way you view the ocean and finally create a journey that takes you through different materiality and compositions of spaces, creating an exciting spatial sequence that keeps you curious about what is to come next. As a result a project is created that alternates indoor and outdoor spaces, open and enclosed spaces, with multiple attraction elements that direct your focus towards the ocean. Developing a flow of experiences within a public park landscape that allows for multiple appropriations and uses, where people interact with the architecture as well as interact with each other. Creating an exploring journey that eventually leads you from the artificial world into the natural landscape.

This book is the result of the research conducted in the P1 phase of the graduation studio ‘Positions in Practice’ of the chair Methods and Analysis in the department for architecture and the built environment, TU Delft.