Creating a Vision for Port Cities: Workshop and Fieldtrips l Morocco Edition

About the event

1 - 5 December, 2025 1 - 5 December based in Rabat, Morocco

Port city territories are unique intersections of urban development, communities, and waterfront environments. Their deep connections between water, heritage, infrastructure, and port residents create both exceptional opportunities and complex challenges. Yet too often, their distinctive qualities are overlooked, resulting in development that neglects heritage, weakens identity, and misses opportunities for communities, businesses, and the environment. Achieving sustainable futures in these territories requires a clear, robust, and shared vision.

This 5-day workshop based in Rabat, Morocco invites participants to explore how port cities can harness their heritage and unique characteristics to develop sustainable urban spaces and engaged communities, while maintaining the essential flows of port activity. At its core, the workshop asks: How can port cities balance urban life with the demands of global trade? What kinds of strategies can ensure resilience, inclusivity, and adaptability over the next 30 to 50 years? Using a value-based approach, participants will apply tools and methods to design strategies for resilient, multifunctional port spaces that integrate economic, social, and environmental priorities.

Hands-on Learning through Port Tours

Immersive visits to the ports of Tangier, Tangier Med, and Casablanca, and the cities of Rabat and Salé, will allow participants to experience firsthand the dynamics of port city territories—from maritime flows and industrial infrastructure to urban landscapes and socio-ecological contexts. These tours provide a living laboratory to apply analytical tools, spark discussion, and inspire project ideas.

Workshop Outcomes

Identify local and global challenges of planning for port city territories.
Understand overlapping needs and potentials through shared goals and values.
Apply tools and methods for analyzing and planning future-proof port city territories.
Communicate insights to diverse stakeholders.
Develop actionable strategies and long-term visions for your port city, informed by fieldwork, tours, and peer feedback.