Program

Workshop Plan

This five-day workshop in Rabat, featuring field trips to Rabat/Salé, Casablanca, Tangier City, and Tangier Med, provides practical tools to understand and envision port city territories. Building on value-based and socio-cultural approaches, participants will explore how spatial, temporal, and stakeholder perspectives shape transitions in port cities. These tools do not lead to one-size-fits-all solutions but rather guide a dynamic process that involves diverse actors, highlights multiple values, and supports the creation of shared visions and missions. The results of these can then inform a range of actions, from strategic planning to urban design, governance, and cultural initiatives.

This dynamic and highly interactive workshop incorporates lectures, design charrettes, team-based exercises, serious games, mapping activities, and field visits. It offers fresh perspectives, even for those with extensive experience in port and water management, challenging conventional approaches while fostering new ways of thinking.

Day 1 - Exploring Port City Territories (Monday, December 1)

The workshop opens with a welcome session, introductions, and case study sharing, followed by a lecture on value-based, socio-cultural approaches to port city development. In the afternoon, participants embark on an instawalk through Rabat/Salé, using visual storytelling to capture layered histories and socio-ecological dynamics. The day concludes with a group dinner.

Day 2 - Multi-Scalar Stakeholders and Tools for Transition (Tuesday, December 2)

The morning introduces the multi-scalar nature of deltas and port city territories, with tools for stakeholder mapping and identifying shifting values. Participants engage in interactive activities such as spatial mapping and a serious game on port construction. In the afternoon, a field trip to the Port of Casablanca provides firsthand insight into logistics operations, trade flows, and socio-ecological challenges. The day ends with a dinner.

Day 3 - Temporal Thinking and Visioning for Port City Transitions (Wednesday, December 3)

This day focuses on time and temporality in transition processes. A morning lecture and workshop guide participants in creating collective global and local timelines of port city change. Participants then explore trade-offs and cooperation through a serious game on water values. In the afternoon, design and mapping workshops allow participants to analyze port city sites, visualize socio-ecological dynamics, and co-create future-oriented strategies. The day concludes with a dinner.

Day 4 - Understanding Port Landscapes (Thursday, December 4)

Participants spend the day in Tangier, combining historical and contemporary perspectives. A morning field trip to Tangier City port highlights the integration of the port with urban life, communities, and passenger activities. After lunch, a visit to Tangier Med provides an in-depth look at large-scale port infrastructures, industrial operations, and sustainability challenges. The day concludes with a group dinner.

Day 5 - From Visions to Action: Strategic Planning for Port City Futures (Friday, December 5)

The final day brings together the insights and methods explored throughout the week. In the morning, an applied design lab guides participants in developing 30-year strategic roadmaps, personas, and impact assessments for their own port city territories. In the afternoon, participants present their visions and strategies in a concluding session, with feedback from peers and instructors. (workshop fee includes lunch, field trips transportation, and group dinner at the end of the first day)

Complementary material: Video materials, readings, and additional resources will be made available two weeks before the workshop starts on the "Online platform" page.

Final assignment: During the workshop, you will explore various methodologies to understand the spatial, social, and cultural context of your case study. Based on your findings, you will develop a clear vision and mission, which you will then shape into a concrete plan with measurable indicators to assess its feasibility. You will have two weeks to refine and submit this plan for assessment. Feedback will be provided by the course instructors. Completing and submitting the assignment is mandatory in order to receive the course certificate.