Tarik Oualalou is a Moroccan-born architect and co-founding principal of the internationally recognised architecture and design studio Oualalou + Choi. His work blends cultural sensitivity, environmental awareness, and intellectual rigour, advancing architecture that speaks across continents and climates.
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From Rabat to a Global Architectural Practice
Born in Rabat, Morocco, Tarik Oualalou pursued his architectural education in France, earning a degree in architecture from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture Paris-Malaquais. He also studied art history at the École du Louvre and civil engineering at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris, giving him a rare blend of design, historical insight, and technical grounding.
Oualalou’s professional and academic journey includes engagement with international architectural discourse through teaching and critique at prestigious institutions across the United States, France, and Morocco
Oualalou + Choi: A Practice Beyond Buildings
Founded in 2001 with fellow architect Linna Choi, Oualalou + Choi is based in Paris and Casablanca. Rather than treat architecture as isolated objects, the firm integrates design strategies into all stages of the project, from early planning and programming to cultural interpretation and community engagement.
The studio’s portfolio covers museums, cultural institutions, temporary structures, urban plans, infrastructure, and major public venues, reflecting both local roots and wide-ranging ambition. Their work has been exhibited internationally and has won awards for creativity and innovation.
Signature Projects & Design Impact
Morocco Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai
For the Expo 2020 in Dubai, Oualalou + Choi designed the Morocco Pavilion, a towering “vertical earthen village” of stacked volumes. The project reinterprets traditional building materials, particularly rammed earth, connecting vernacular architecture with contemporary sustainability goals, and aims to reduce active energy loads via passive climate design.
COP22 Village, United Nations Climate Conference, Marrakech
At the UN’s COP22 in Marrakech, the studio created a temporary architectural village that hosted delegates from around the world. Rather than a conventional conference space, the design used a network of reusable canopies and structures that formed a central spine, creating a temporary urban space expressing sustainability, cultural resonance, and community gathering.
The village’s design focused on temporary urbanism: modular and dismantlable elements allowed structures to be reused after the event, while a striking gateway and canopy system referenced tent architecture and communal tradition.
Volubilis Museum (Meknès, Morocco)
Another major built work is the Volubilis Museum, set within the ancient Roman archaeological site of Volubilis. The design intervenes gently into the landscape, creating a narrative pathway through history that respects the terrain and cultural layers of this UNESCO heritage site.
Ongoing and Recent Works
Oualalou + Choi continue to expand their scope with significant commissions, including:
- The Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca which aims to blend Moroccan cultural references with modern stadium design.
- The new Casa Sud Train Station in Casablanca reflects the firm’s ongoing interest in infrastructure and public space.
- Cultural, embassy, and civic projects in Europe and North Africa, such as the Cultural Center of Morocco in Paris and the U.S. Consulate in Casablanca.
Philosophy: Architecture as Cultural Dialogue
Rather than pursuing purely formal or aesthetic goals, Oualalou’s work emphasises the role of architecture as a cultural, environmental, and social mediator. Projects often explore how traditional building wisdom, such as passive climate strategies or local materials like rammed earth, can inform contemporary design in a changing world.
Oualalou and Choi’s practice is rooted in deep contextual listening and collaborative problem-solving, reflecting a belief that architecture should respond to people, place, and future challenges holistically.
Lasting Relevance in Architecture
Today, Tarik Oualalou and Oualalou + Choi stand out as architects who push boundaries while staying grounded in cultural identity and sustainability. Their work, from museum spaces to global pavilions and climate-focused environments, illustrates how architecture can be both poetic and pragmatic, and always deeply connected to the human and environmental contexts it engages.
