The Industrial Heritage of Casablanca: Historical Development, Urban Transformations, and Preservation Challenges

Abstract

Najat Fares and Jamila Saidi

Casablanca’s industrial heritage, once the driving force of Morocco’s modernization, has been profoundly transformed by urban expansion and shifting economic priorities. Iconic sites such as the Lafarge Cement Plant in Roches Noires, the Bata Shoe Factory, the Lincoln Hotel (Immeuble Bessonneau), and the Cinema Vox illustrate a broader trend of demolition, abandonment, or partial preservation. While some façades, like those of the Lincoln Hotel, have been granted heritage status, many industrial landmarks have disappeared, erasing material traces of the city’s working’class memory. These trajectories reveal a central tension between rapid urban development and the preservation of cultural identity, underscoring the urgent need for integrated strategies that combine heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, and sustainable urban planning.

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