A look back at the Versailles Prize for Architecture and Design — for the Kénitra high-speed rail (LGV) station.
Architect: Omar Kobbité
This architect, distinguished in France and Morocco alike since 1998, needs no introduction. A native of Fez, he first proved himself in Toulouse (France) before winning competitions launched in Morocco for the headquarters of the Centre for Scientific and Technical Research and of the Moroccan Institute for Scientific and Technical Information. He returned to his country “through the front door” and naturally bid on major projects. His pared-down, rational architecture appeals. He built residences (451 units) in Taghazout, took part in the Maroc Telecom tower in Rabat, secured the National Museum of Archaeology and Earth Sciences in 2010, the Museum of Intangible Heritage in Dakhla, the Oudayas Museum and the landscaping of the outdoor spaces at Chellah — before winning the fiercely contested global competition: the Kénitra LGV station. A professional jackpot, but above all the prestige of a prize coveted by architects the world over! Hats off to this creator of an unprecedented space, which we invite you to admire and to hear about.
Question: The Kénitra station project has just won one of the most prestigious prizes in the world. Tell us about the journey that led there.
Answer: This award rests on a worldwide selection of projects that are innovative and creative, yet whose concept is integrated into the local, natural and cultural heritage, with ecological performance and values of conviviality. The call for entries for the Versailles Prize enabled the systematic analysis of projects examined by an international jury of renowned designers such as Philippe Starck and Kazuyo Sejima — before the shortlist and final awards. It is a great honour for OKA (Casablanca–Paris), alongside architect Silvio Garcia, to have won this prestigious prize for the Kénitra station, with the distinction “Exterior 2019 — World / Railway Stations.”
Question: What is the World Prize for Architecture and Design, or Versailles Prize? Answer: The Versailles Prize’s credo is to encourage recognition of excellence across the diversity of architectural styles, and it also promotes economic development. It sends a lasting signal about the crucial, universal role these railway infrastructures play in social, economic and cultural exchange.
The world ceremony was held at UNESCO Headquarters, in the presence of many architects from the four corners of the globe, come to represent their countries through architecture and design.
Question: What does the winning architect gain? Does it bring national recognition? Answer: It was Morocco’s ambassador to France, designated by HM King Mohammed VI, who received the prize. It represents real national recognition and a great source of pride for me. The Versailles Prize confirms the eminent place architecture can hold on the international stage. Through the Kénitra station, our team joins the creators distinguished by this prestigious award — a recognition that, above all, honours Moroccan know-how.
Question: And it elevates the idea of the architect’s role in the city — how? Answer: This prize is a mark of honour. It establishes the architect’s contribution as a genuine vector of urban, cultural and economic development — and therefore a factor in enhancing a country’s image.
Question: And what do you yourself expect from this prize? Answer: I hope that Moroccan achievements — and the designers that we are — will be noticed and rewarded. Through their media exposure, architecture is granted its rightful place in all its dimensions: historical, urban, social, cultural, aesthetic, economic, ecological… A world prize rewards an entire profession. All the stakeholders involved benefit, more or less directly.