An Australian architectural duo have won a competition to design the Casablanca Bombing Rooms – a cultural space promoting peace on the site of a devastating terrorist attack.

Rachel Hurst and William Song Yuan’s design features a large black tower, which represents a beacon of learning, acceptance, knowledge and growth towards peace.

On 16 May 2003, 33 civilians were killed in a series of suicide bombings in the Moroccan city. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in the country’s history.

Architects were asked to submit their designs for a public library and cultural centre to be built near the city’s main port, on the site where the Casa de España restaurant – the first building to be bombed – once stood. Their ideas had to “transform the site of a previous act of violence into one that educates and works to eliminate the ignorance that causes acts of extremism.”

The uncompromising black façade of Hurst and Yuan’s building represents “grief for the victims, cultural oppression embodied in black veils, charred earth from a bombing, and the blank canvas that is a dark cinema waiting to be illuminated by a film.”

In an exclusive interview with CLAD, Yuan said this concept was reached by “analysing the site and its environmental, cultural and political conditions.”

“A major source of inspiration for me was looking at Japanese architects,” he said. “They incorporate traditional elements and thinking into their designs. As such, the overall aesthetic was driven by Islamic and Mauresque architecture in order to create a public library that is specific to Casablanca. We wanted to use these precedents to enrich the design and represent the city’s community.”

The building's interior will feature a library, exhibition space and a large cinema screening films promoting peace.

Explaining the inclusion of the cinema, Yuan said: “It was important for us to understand who we were designing for. We had to discover what the people of Casablanca want in a public library. What do they believe in? What kind of activities do they participate in? Through this approach, we developed the idea of incorporating film and cinema within the design.

“Films have the power to challenge perspectives as well as share experiences. The cinema is viewed by many Moroccans as a key forum for freedom of expression and discussion of ideas.”

The competition was organised by Hong Kong-based company HMMD – an international team of industry professionals who focus on initiating progressive ideas. No information has currently been revealed about the cost, timeframe or operator for the Casablanca Bombing Rooms project.