Learning from Traditional Earthen Architecture: Sustainability Lessons from Aït Ben Haddou, Morocco

Earthen architecture has shaped traditional building cultures through locally available materials, climate-responsive techniques, and accumulated construction knowledge. Today, its low environmental impact, energy efficiency, material reusability, and contribution to local identity offer valuable lessons for sustainable architecture. Aït Ben Haddou, located in Morocco’s Ounila Valley and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987, is a significant example of this heritage due to its architectural integrity, settlement character, and preserved earthen construction techniques. This study examines Aït Ben Haddou both as a cultural heritage asset and as a source of knowledge for contemporary sustainable design. Using a qualitative methodology based on literature review, historical sources, and architectural evaluation at settlement and building scales, it analyses local materials, adobe and rammed-earth techniques, spatial organization, climatic adaptation, and maintenance practices. The findings emphasize the holistic relationship between materials, climate, buildings, settlements, local labor, and traditional knowledge, rather than merely replicating the formal characteristics of traditional architecture.