Salima Naji Wins Grand Prix at Arab World Institute Design Awards 2026
Moroccan architect Salima Naji wins the Grand Prix of the Arab World Institute's 2026 Design Awards for her rammed-earth Heritage Interpretation Centre of Tiznit.
Moroccan architect Salima Naji has won the Grand Prix of the 2026 Design Awards organized by the Institut du monde arabe (Arab World Institute, IMA) in Paris, for her Heritage Interpretation Centre of Tiznit, built in rammed earth within the city's historic ramparts. The IMA announced the results of the award's fourth edition on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as part of Paris Design Week.
Naji's career preserving built heritage
Based and working in Tiznit since 2008, Salima Naji also holds a PhD in social anthropology and pursued advanced training in aesthetics, arts and image technology, and philosophy of art. She is the author of several books, including "Architecture du bien commun, pour une éthique de la conservation" (Architecture of the Common Good, Towards an Ethics of Conservation), and had previously received the Grand Gold Medal of the French Academy of Architecture, as well as the international Terra Award in June 2026 for the same Tiznit project.
Other Moroccan creatives in the running
Moroccan presence was not limited to the Grand Prix: the list of entrants in this fourth edition, which included 26 projects, featured three other Moroccan creatives competing in different categories:
| Category | Winner / finalist | Project |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix | Salima Naji | Heritage Interpretation Centre of Tiznit |
| Emerging Talent | Othmane Bengebara | Irtah! - a reinterpretation of traditional Moroccan seating |
| Contemporary Craftsmanship | Imane Mellah | Bab - a textile work inspired by medina doorways, using Amazigh weaving techniques |
| Arab Bank Switzerland Impact Prize | 99+ X Architects | What Remains - Atlas of a Disappearing Casablanca |
Why it matters
This international recognition highlights the standing of Moroccan talent in architecture and design on the world stage, and spotlights Naji's approach of using local materials such as rammed earth to preserve and promote Moroccan architectural identity instead of turning to imported modern construction materials. Organized by the IMA since 2023 and now a fixture of Paris Design Week, the award confirms Tiznit's status as a Moroccan model for restoring built heritage with local materials. The public exhibition of the 26 entries remains open at the Institut du monde arabe in Paris from September 3 to 20, 2026.