Riad Kasbah Oliver
Riad Kasbah Oliver is over 1900m above sea level. From its elevated position there is a unique outlook up, down and across the valley.
Constructed in traditional stone and earth, it was built almost entirely by local builders using locally available materials, making this a sustainable development. The design of the building is a mix of three typically Moroccan building styles (Riad an inward looking house with a courtyard garden), a kasbah (previously fortified house usually with four towers and similar to a castle keep) and a Berber house with long narrow salons, wooden high ceilings and built from materials naturally available on the site. This approach has ensured Riad Kasbah Oliver blends perfectly into the mountainside and the villages surrounding it.
Due to its mountainside location the Riad has been designed differently to those in Marrakech. It maximises the natural light, and we have kept the decoration and style simple, much like that of a Berber house but with a more modern twist. Mosaics and elaborate ceilings are not found in the villages, however we have included a traditional mosaic tile fountain in the centre of the Riad garden, surrounded by fruit trees and flowers.
Riad Kasbah Oliver was designed and built by Carolyn, who runs it with her husband Mohamed, who was born and raised in Tighza. It is designed both as a family home and a family run guesthouse. Our home is your home and we hope during your stay to give you a glimpse into the life of the Berbers, the original inhabitants of Morocco.
The Environmental Project
Riad Kasbah Oliver is not just a home or building it is also an environmental project and a source of income for the local community.
We provide employment for local people from the villages in particular women - older girls who have left school, single mums and widows who would not normally be in paid employment.
The building uses down pipes and water butts to collect rainwater to use on the land. Future projects include sourcing virtually all our electricity through solar and wind power. We hope to build four eco rooms using only natural materials, with compost toilets. We also aim to have wooden bed frames made for each bedroom by local carpenters.
The valley is full of small agricultural terraces with each family owning a patchwork of small fields throughout the valley. In 2012 we plan to grow our own fruit, vegetables and herbs so in season we will use ingredients from our own terrace gardens and our fruit trees are already in place. Otherwise the majority of our food is bought locally so supporting the local economy. Items that can only be bought from supermarkets in the cities is sourced as far as is practical from Morocco. This saves on food having done air and road miles and means your meals, as far as possible, will be farm fresh.
We encourage our guests to save water. In a country which is usually very dry, like Morocco, water is a precious resource. We therefore ask that guests do not leave taps running whilst brushing their teeth and minimise the amount of water used for showering. Wasting water can mean women and girls having to carry up to 25 litres of water long distances from the river to their homes if the water towers that supply the villages run dry.
Hot water is currently supplied by 300 litre solar tank on the roof that is positioned to optimise the sun’s energy throughout the day. As the kasbah is a large building it takes time for the hot water to circulate. Water is hotter during the early afternoon than first thing in the morning. We encourage guests to shower just once a day to minimise the impact on the volume of water used overall.
For further information on the projects we run in the villages please see the Projects Page.
