The Kasbah Caid Ali el Jadida inside the exhibition hall. Even the large space in exhibition hall 2 at the Leipzig Messe is not big enough for the original - but the Kasbah will still be there, on a scale of 1:10. Long-time visitors will remember that the model was created at denkmal back in 2004. After 20 years, the Kasbah is returning to its birthplace and artist Manfred Fahnert is planning to create a brand new model right next to it with supporters and visitors to the trade fair. All the rooms will be faithfully recreated and visitors will be able to experience the wide variety of earth building products at first hand.

Earth building school Atlas Chantiers

In addition to the action camp, the artist is also coming to denkmal with an information mission. He wants to present the development process and the founding of the ‘Altas Chantiers’. The craft school was preceded by the ‘DINDUM’ association, which was founded in 2010. Its declared aim was cultural exchange, with the ‘LEHMEXPRESS’ project in Morocco providing interested parties with exciting insights into working with sustainable building materials. Seven years after it was founded, Fahnert left the association - but the artist from Ansbach still wanted to pass on his knowledge of working with clay and remained active. In the same year, he signed a lease agreement with Ahmed Ait el Caid for the buildings and grounds of the Kasbah. This was followed by the founding of Atlas Chantiers, which focuses on workshops, seminars and events. The aim is to teach traditional crafts such as earth building and wood construction, plaster carving, traditional tile mosaics called Zelliges (‘jiliesh’), as well as all traditional painting techniques and their production.

‘Team Interkulturell’ at denkmal

Not only in Morocco, but also in Leipzig, Fahnert wants to present the possibilities of earth building at first hand. The goal of presenting Morocco's cultural heritage at the trade fair developed over a long period of time. The basis for this was the artist's close friendship with the heritage conservationist and Deputy Secretary General of ICOMOS Maroc, Zouhair Bennani. The ‘Team Interkulturell’ is strengthened by the Berlin communication scientist and project manager Barbara Tatjana Barzi-Vogt.

Preparing for their presence at denkmal proved to be more difficult than expected, as in addition to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, the team also had to deal with the effects of the devastating earthquake in the Atlas Mountains in September 2023. The intensive contact with ministries, architects, construction companies and embassies broke off in the meantime, but was restored thanks to the perseverance of the trio. The trade fair appearance is now the next big step. Fahnert is also working on new communication formats. A three-week training concept is planned in collaboration with the Dachverband Lehm, Zouhair Bennani and Moroccan institutions for specialists in earth construction.

But first Manfred Fahnert wants to take visitors to denkmal on a journey of development, on which they can experience different building methods and cultures and help shape them themselves. The practice-orientated approach is intended to promote interest in earth building and demonstrate its potential for sustainable construction.