André Ravéreau e i progetti per lo M’Zab. Brani di ville nouvelle per la “città islamica ideale” = André Ravéreau and the plans for the M’Zab. Pieces of a ville nouvelle for the “ideal Islamic city”

The M’ Zab Pentapolis, located on the edge of the northern Sahara, is a settlement system composed of five fortified cities (ksour) founded from the year One thousand by a group of religious dissidents, the Ibadis, on the slopes of the Algerian oasis that runs along the M’Zab uadi. The French architect André Ravéreau, was contacted in 1960 by the Agence du Plan d’Alger to participate in the Plan for the M’Zab Valley. With his wife, the photographer Manuelle Roche, Ravéreau drew up an interpretative analysis of the territory: he broke the valley down into its constituent parts to reuse them in his design projects. His studies also have contributed to create a certain imagery of the model of the “ideal Islamic city”.
This paper aims to highlight how the architect’s interpretative reading of the valley is transferred to his projects. Ravéreau was commissioned to design villes nouvelles within a valley surrounded by five ancient Islamic cities. He came up with proposals that were in continuity with the existing urban structure – demonstrating his ability to build relationships between the building, the ancient city, and the landscape – while at the same time attempting to combine the requirements of traditional culture with modern aspirations.