{"id":117403,"date":"2025-07-03T10:55:24","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T14:55:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/?post_type=metro_profile&#038;p=117403"},"modified":"2025-07-03T10:55:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T14:55:27","slug":"salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture","status":"publish","type":"metro_profile","link":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/","title":{"rendered":"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-sandow-article-header article-header\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-header\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//17_c-1-scaled.jpg/" alt=\"Construction of Adobe Reconstruction and restoration of the Kasbah of Agadir Oufla, Agadir, Morroco. Courtesy Salima Naji  \" class=\"wp-image-117405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reconstruction and restoration of the Kasbah of Agadir Oufla, Agadir, Morroco. Courtesy Salima Naji  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group article-header_intro none\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><p class=\"article-date\" aria-label=\"Post Date\">July 3, 2025<\/p>\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-post-title\">Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture<\/h1><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column article-header_meta is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p class=\"summary size-regular\">Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-sandow-byline byline size-regular\"><span>By: <\/span><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"//tag//diana-budds/">Diana Budds<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"social-share\"><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////www.facebook.com//sharer//sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmetropolismag.com%2Fprofiles%2Fsalima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture%2F\%22 target=\"_blank\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M9 8h-3v4h3v12h5v-12h3.642l.358-4h-4v-1.667c0-.955.192-1.333 1.115-1.333h2.885v-5h-3.808c-3.596 0-5.192 1.583-5.192 4.615v3.385z\" \/><\/svg><\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////www.linkedin.com//sharing//share-offsite//?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmetropolismag.com%2Fprofiles%2Fsalima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture%2F\%22 target=\"_blank\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M4.98 3.5c0 1.381-1.11 2.5-2.48 2.5s-2.48-1.119-2.48-2.5c0-1.38 1.11-2.5 2.48-2.5s2.48 1.12 2.48 2.5zm.02 4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\" \/><\/svg><\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"http:////pinterest.com//pin//create//button//?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmetropolismag.com%2Fprofiles%2Fsalima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture%2F&amp;description=Salima+Naji%E2%80%99s+Quest+to+Preserve+Culture+Through+Architecture\%22 target=\"_blank\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"> <path d=\"M12 0c-6.627 0-12 5.372-12 12 0 5.084 3.163 9.426 7.627 11.174-.105-.949-.2-2.405.042-3.441.218-.937 1.407-5.965 1.407-5.965s-.359-.719-.359-1.782c0-1.668.967-2.914 2.171-2.914 1.023 0 1.518.769 1.518 1.69 0 1.029-.655 2.568-.994 3.995-.283 1.194.599 2.169 1.777 2.169 2.133 0 3.772-2.249 3.772-5.495 0-2.873-2.064-4.882-5.012-4.882-3.414 0-5.418 2.561-5.418 5.207 0 1.031.397 2.138.893 2.738.098.119.112.224.083.345l-.333 1.36c-.053.22-.174.267-.402.161-1.499-.698-2.436-2.889-2.436-4.649 0-3.785 2.75-7.262 7.929-7.262 4.163 0 7.398 2.967 7.398 6.931 0 4.136-2.607 7.464-6.227 7.464-1.216 0-2.359-.631-2.75-1.378l-.748 2.853c-.271 1.043-1.002 2.35-1.492 3.146 1.124.347 2.317.535 3.554.535 6.627 0 12-5.373 12-12 0-6.628-5.373-12-12-12z\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" \/><\/svg><\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"mailto:?body=https%3A%2F%2Fmetropolismag.com%2Fprofiles%2Fsalima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture%2F&amp;subject=Salima+Naji%E2%80%99s+Quest+to+Preserve+Culture+Through+Architecture\%22 target=\"_blank\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path d=\"M12 12.713l-11.985-9.713h23.97l-11.985 9.713zm0 2.574l-12-9.725v15.438h24v-15.438l-12 9.725z\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column empty-header-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"size-regular\">The heart of ancient cities in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco was often a granary, a communal structure in which grain, dried fruit, oil, jewelry, important documents, and other valuables were stored for safekeeping. But over the centuries, most of them have been destroyed due to earthquakes or deserted due to economic hardship, lack of natural resources to support the communities that built them, and migration to urban centers. And with them, traditional Berber culture and vernacular ways of building have been lost, too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"size-regular\">Salima Naji, an architect and anthropologist based in Southern Morocco, has spent the past 20 years restoring and reconstructing granaries and other ancient buildings in the region. In contemporary applications of historic preservation, a building\u2019s physical appearance might remain the same, but its function changes to meet modern uses\u2014factories transform into <a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//projects//chicago-loft-renovation-vladimir-radutny///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">luxury lofts<\/a>, a power station becomes <a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//viewpoints//what-the-tate-modern-means-in-a-post-brexit-world///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a temple to contemporary art<\/a>, and a public library finds a new life as an Apple store. Naji, however, treats historic preservation as a form of cultural repair and engages in projects that can continue to serve local communities in the way the buildings were intended. She prefers to build with natural materials like earth, stone, and palm fibers using traditional techniques. \u201cFor me, architecture is not aesthetics, but a respectful stance towards our earthly environments,\u201d Naji says. \u201cI want architecture in Morocco to meet the challenges of the ecological crisis and dwindling resources.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"974\" height=\"1024\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_59-974x1024.jpeg/" alt=\"Salima Naji and a member of the construction team in Timinkar, in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Courtesy Salima Naji \" class=\"wp-image-117418\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_59-974x1024.jpeg 974w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_59-285x300.jpeg 285w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_59-768x807.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Salima Naji and a member of the construction team in Timinkar, in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Courtesy Salima Naji <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group none\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_51-scaled.jpg/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-117409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_51-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_51-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_51-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_51-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_51-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_51-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ongoing reconstruction and reparation works after 2023 earthquake in Timinkar, in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Courtesy Salima Naji <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"size-regular\">Recently, Naji reconstructed the Fortress of Agadir, a critical civic building in the city of Agadir that was destroyed in a 1960 earthquake. Instead of using concrete\u2014which crushed and killed people during the quake\u2014she relied on a wood-and-stone system for seismic stability. She is currently reconstructing a school in Setti Fatma, a village outside of Marrakech, that was severely damaged in a 2023 earthquake. All of the masons working on the project are the parents of the students who will go to school there\u2014a move that builds more connection between architecture, environment, and people and helps to keep these construction techniques alive within the community. This approach is shaped by the French philosopher Simone Weil\u2019s theory on rootedness. \u201cTo be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul. It is the hardest to define,\u201d Weil <a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////simoneweilcenter.org//publications//2021//5//9//the-great-unsettling-simone-weil-and-the-need-for-roots/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a> in 1943. Naji has taken this to mean that we as a society need more connection to our history, to where we live, and to each other, and architecture is a critical element of a cultural ecosystem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//26-02-bis-1024x768.jpg/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-117407\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/26-02-bis-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/26-02-bis-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/26-02-bis-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reconstruction and restoration of the Kasbah of Agadir Oufla, Agadir, Morroco. Courtesy Salima Naji  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//21_a-1024x768.jpg/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-117406\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/21_a-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/21_a-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/21_a-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reconstruction and restoration of the Kasbah of Agadir Oufla, Agadir, Morroco. Courtesy Salima Naji  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group none\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"size-regular\">While Naji\u2019s projects are hyper-local, they represent a way of thinking&nbsp; applicable worldwide. She chooses to work on sites that were built and maintained collectively, were constructed with environmentally sensitive methods, and are resource conscious\u2014in other words, what architects today call sustainability, but what builders were doing for generations before rapid urbanization and planetary destruction of the modern era. Naji believes that the field must adopt an alternative path forward to meet the interconnected crises of the climate crisis and social alienation. \u201cBeyond the technical gesture, we need to question the conditions under which spaces are produced and inhabited,\u201d Naji says. \u201cTrue modernity is building with awareness, preserving the world, and respecting humanity in its environment.\u201d&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//IMG_0099-scaled.jpg/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-117414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_0099-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_0099-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_0099-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_0099-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_0099-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/IMG_0099-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reconstruction a school in Setti Fatma, close to Timinkar. Courtesy Salima Naji <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"size-regular\">Recently, the architecture field has been catching up to Naji\u2019s way of thinking. In 2022, she was shortlisted for the Aga Khan award and in 2024 was shortlisted for the Royal Academy of Art\u2019s Dorfman prize. This year, she won the <a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////saint-gobain.com//en//news//winners-global-award-sustainable-architecture-2025/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Global Award for Sustainable Architecture<\/a> from the French building materials company Saint Gobain and presented her body of work <a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//programs//the-world-around-2025///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">at the World Around conference<\/a>at the MoMA in New York. She hopes more architects join her in treating ecological architecture as an ethical imperative. \u201cThe first rule is to do no harm, to do no destruction, neither for ourselves nor for future generations,\u201d Naji says. \u201cTo open horizons of dignity, peace, and harmony. It&#8217;s a difficult path, I won&#8217;t hide it from you, but these are the real challenges of tomorrow.\u201d of tomorrow.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_80-683x1024.jpg/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-117412\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_80-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_80-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reconstruction a school in Setti Fatma, close to Timinkar. Courtesy Salima Naji <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//07//C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_92-683x1024.jpg/" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-117413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_92-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C.AYOUBELBARDII_SalimaNaji_92-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reconstruction a school in Setti Fatma, close to Timinkar. Courtesy Salima Naji <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group none\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"comment size-regular\">Would you like to comment on this article? Send your thoughts to: <a href=https://metropolismag.com/wp-json/wp/v2/metro_profile/\"mailto:comments@metropolismag.com/">comments@metropolismag.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"tag-cloud\"><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//domains//preservation///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Preservation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//domains//research///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Research<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n<ul class=\"tag-cloud\"><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//tag//adobe///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Adobe<\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//tag//morocco///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Morocco<\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//tag//preservation///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Preservation<\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//tag//salima-naji///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Salima Naji<\/a><\/li><li><a href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//tag//the-world-around///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">The World Around<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"post-cards__wrapper is-condensed-default columns-3 single-row\" data-type=\"metro_viewpoint metro_profile metro_project metro_product\" data-amount=\"3\" ><h3 class=\"section-title\">Latest<\/h3><ul><li class=\"card__metro_viewpoint\"><div class=\"post-cards__image\"><a class=\"post-cards__link\" href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//viewpoints//sustainability-news-updates-for-q4-2025///"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//11//AdobeStock_332538740-1024x640.jpg/" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" style=\"object-position: 50% 50%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AdobeStock_332538740-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AdobeStock_332538740-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/AdobeStock_332538740-768x480.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-cards__content\"><p class=\"type\">Viewpoints<\/p><a class=\"post-cards__title-link\" href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//viewpoints//sustainability-news-updates-for-q4-2025///"><h4>Sustainability News Updates for Q4 2025<\/h4><\/a><p class=\"excerpt\">A year of policy ups and downs in the United States has created a fragmented regulatory landscape for the building industry to navigate.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li class=\"card__metro_viewpoint\"><div class=\"post-cards__image\"><a class=\"post-cards__link\" href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//viewpoints//what-is-and-is-not-biophilic-design///"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"508\" src=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//wp-content//uploads//2025//11//ME_25_Biophilia-Web-Image-1024x508.png/" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" style=\"object-position: 50% 50%;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ME_25_Biophilia-Web-Image-1024x508.png 1024w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ME_25_Biophilia-Web-Image-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ME_25_Biophilia-Web-Image-768x381.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"post-cards__content\"><p class=\"type\">Viewpoints<\/p><a class=\"post-cards__title-link\" href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//viewpoints//what-is-and-is-not-biophilic-design///"><h4>What Is and Is Not Biophilic Design?<\/h4><\/a><p class=\"excerpt\">The creator of the concept of Biophilic Design explains effective strategies that keep us healthy by bring us closer to nature.<\/p><\/div><\/li><li class=\"sponsored-post ntv-01\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture. Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1501,"featured_media":117405,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"featured_image_focal_point":[],"legacy_WP_ID":0},"tags":[3487,3678,151,3677,3615],"metro_tax_domain":[6,11],"metro_tax_topic":[13,17],"metro_tax_program":[],"metro_issue":[],"metro_cat_profile":[],"internal_flag":[2353,2402],"class_list":["post-117403","metro_profile","type-metro_profile","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-adobe","tag-morocco","tag-preservation","tag-salima-naji","tag-the-world-around","metro_tax_domain-preservation","metro_tax_domain-research","metro_tax_topic-architecture","metro_tax_topic-preservation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture - Metropolis<\/title>\n
<!-- Mirrored from metropolismag.com/wp-json/wp/v2/metro_profile/117403 by HTTrack Website Copier/3.x [XR&CO'2014], Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:13:52 GMT -->
<!-- Added by HTTrack --><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /><!-- /Added by HTTrack -->
<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist Salima Naji is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=https://metropolismag.com/"https:////metropolismag.com//profiles//salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture///" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture - Metropolis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist Salima Naji is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Metropolis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MetropolisMag\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-03T14:55:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@MetropolisMag\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Francisco Brown\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a08cab39d426eaadaca8134f2b3ad2d9\"},\"headline\":\"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-03T14:55:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-03T14:55:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/\"},\"wordCount\":837,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Adobe\",\"Morocco\",\"Preservation\",\"Salima Naji\",\"The World Around\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/\",\"name\":\"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture - Metropolis\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-03T14:55:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-03T14:55:27+00:00\",\"description\":\"Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist Salima Naji is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1920},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/\",\"name\":\"Metropolis\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Metropolis Magazine\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/download.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/download.png\",\"width\":263,\"height\":192,\"caption\":\"Metropolis Magazine\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MetropolisMag\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/MetropolisMag\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/metropolismag\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/metropolis-magazine\/\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/metropolismag\/_created\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a08cab39d426eaadaca8134f2b3ad2d9\",\"name\":\"Francisco Brown\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f86cc7eeb1559e1045428da6d7d829a82693e0c94d3c64918427d99ea131fdc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f86cc7eeb1559e1045428da6d7d829a82693e0c94d3c64918427d99ea131fdc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Francisco Brown\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/author\/fbrown\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture - Metropolis","description":"Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist Salima Naji is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture - Metropolis","og_description":"Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist Salima Naji is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.","og_url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/","og_site_name":"Metropolis","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MetropolisMag\/","article_modified_time":"2025-07-03T14:55:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1920,"url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@MetropolisMag","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/"},"author":{"name":"Francisco Brown","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a08cab39d426eaadaca8134f2b3ad2d9"},"headline":"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture","datePublished":"2025-07-03T14:55:24+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-03T14:55:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/"},"wordCount":837,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg","keywords":["Adobe","Morocco","Preservation","Salima Naji","The World Around"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/","url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/","name":"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture - Metropolis","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2025-07-03T14:55:24+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-03T14:55:27+00:00","description":"Across Morocco, the architect and anthropologist Salima Naji is rebuilding ancient buildings so that they may endure for generations to come.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/17_c-1-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1920},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/profiles\/salima-najis-quest-to-preserve-culture-through-architecture\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Salima Naji\u2019s Quest to Preserve Culture Through Architecture"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/","name":"Metropolis","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#organization","name":"Metropolis Magazine","url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/download.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/download.png","width":263,"height":192,"caption":"Metropolis Magazine"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MetropolisMag\/","https:\/\/x.com\/MetropolisMag","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/metropolismag","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/metropolis-magazine\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/metropolismag\/_created\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a08cab39d426eaadaca8134f2b3ad2d9","name":"Francisco Brown","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f86cc7eeb1559e1045428da6d7d829a82693e0c94d3c64918427d99ea131fdc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f86cc7eeb1559e1045428da6d7d829a82693e0c94d3c64918427d99ea131fdc5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Francisco Brown"},"url":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/author\/fbrown\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metro_profile\/117403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metro_profile"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/metro_profile"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1501"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117403"},{"taxonomy":"metro_tax_domain","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metro_tax_domain?post=117403"},{"taxonomy":"metro_tax_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metro_tax_topic?post=117403"},{"taxonomy":"metro_tax_program","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metro_tax_program?post=117403"},{"taxonomy":"metro_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metro_issue?post=117403"},{"taxonomy":"metro_cat_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metro_cat_profile?post=117403"},{"taxonomy":"internal_flag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metropolismag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_flag?post=117403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}