"Agadir 1960-65" - The rebirth of a city

 
Le Sinistre tremblement de terre - Agadir 1960© DR

The Disaster Earthquake - Agadir 1960

© DR

29 FEBRUARY 1960 - 23h47

  • 80% destruction of the city of Agadir

  • 15,000 victims

  • Immediate organization of rescue operations, administration and surveillance of the disaster area taken over by the Royal Army under the authority of HRH Prince Moulay Hassan

Visite de S.M le Roi Mohammed V

Visit of HM King Mohammed V

03 March 1960

  • His Majesty Mohammed V goes there and decides the rapid reconstruction of the city

  • “The Reconstruction of Agadir will be the work of our will and our faith”

Rencontre entre le prince héritier Moulay Hassan et l’architecte Le Corbusier© ina.fr/L’architecte, Le Corbusier au Maroc

Meeting between Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and architect Le Corbusierr

© ina.fr/L’architecte, Le Corbusier au Maroc

March 1960

  • Consultation of 'French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier

  • Geological studies

  • Study mission of Mr. Professor ROTHE (International Central Bureau of Seismology)

March-April 1960

  • Report of the town planning department on the various problems to be solved (temporary housing estates, appraisals, compensation, repairs, demolitions and clearing, land problem, organization of reconstruction)

© Amush #05 - Mourad Ben Embarek - L'architecte du nouvel Agadir

June 1960

  • Establishment of a High Commission for Reconstruction (HCRA) under the direction of architect Mourad Ben Embarek

  • Creation of a solidarity tax

Plan d’aménagement de la ville d’Agadir - Haut commissariat de la Reconstruction© Amush

Development plan of the city of Agadir - High Commission for Reconstruction

© Amush

August 1960

  • Establishment of the master plan (Town planning department)

  • Definition of the special powers devolved to the High Commission for Reconstruction

December 1960

  • Anti-seismic standards “Agadir 60” made applicable to the city of Agadir and its SE suburbs

© Amush

© Amush

17 January 1961

  • Publication of fundamental texts on Reconstruction

  • Setback zones - expropriations, compensation, state aid

© A+U N°4 - Agadir

© A+U N°4 - Agadir

December 1961

  • Establishment in Agadir of the offices of the High Commission for Reconstruction: damage assessment office, technical studies office, architecture office

  • Approval by Dahir of all the development plans (1/2000th) of the city

  • A permanent exhibition is organized in Agadir

FEBRUARY 1962

  • Delivery of the first registered real estate titles to the victims

  • Constitutions of the first associations of the victims for the grouped real estate reconstruction

  • Launch of the first grouped Reconstruction works (Industrial district)

Emile Duhon - Hôtel de ville, 1961© Amush

Emile Duhon - City Hall, 1961

© Amush

Jean-François Zevaco - Bureau de Poste, 1963

Jean-François Zevaco - Post Office, 1963

AUGUST 1962

  • Opening of the first housing estates

SEPTEMBER 1962

  • Launch of the first VRD works (development of the Tanaout wadi - main roads of the Urban Center and New Talbordj)

Henri Tastemain & Louis Riou - L’immeuble A, 1961

Henri Tastemain & Louis Riou - Building A, 1961

March 1963

  • Launch of the first construction sites of State buildings (Collective housing)

June 1963

  • Completion of repairs to administrative buildings

Visite de S.M le Roi Hassan II pour le suivi des travaux de la Reconstruction

Visit of HM King Hassan II for the follow-up of the Reconstruction works

July 1963

  • Launch of the first construction sites on housing estates in New Talbordj and the Industrial District

OCTOBER 1963

  • Visit of HM Hassan II

    Handing over of the keys to the rebuilt buildings - Laying of the first stone of the Grand Mosque - Inauguration of Avenue Hassan II

LENZ Hans-Joachim - La mosquée centrale, 1961

LENZ Hans-Joachim - The Central Mosque, 1961

October 1964

  • Completion of major road works

December 1964

  • Launch of the first hotel projects

La place administrative du centre urbain d’Agadir

The administrative square of the urban center of Agadir

March 1965

  • Launch of a construction site for a holiday village of 300 bungalows

AUGUST-OCTOBER 1965

  • Issuance of the first nominative titles for small damages

    Constitution of the first associations of disaster victims for the grouped reconstruction of small damages

Fin 1965

  • The main general equipment is carried out

    Reconstruction of administrative buildings is 80% complete

    Private reconstruction sites completed or in progress correspond to 95% of the total amount of damage titles issued


A+U N°4 “Spécial Agadir” . Revue africaine d’architecture et d’urbanisme A+U N°4- 1966, p 70

 
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