Title: The New Ecological Order
Theme: Transformation of Nature in North Africa due to the European Energy Transition
Type: Research, Vision, Installation
Location: Morocco
Exhibition: International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2024, The New Institute – Museum for Architecture, Design, and Digital Culture
Year: 2023 - Ongoing
Supported By: IABR; Creative Industries NL
Local Research Support: Koun Aktif (Local NGO) and residents from the affected areas
Video and Photography of Morocco: Lesia Topolnyk
Photos of the Installation: Midas van Boekel
"The New Ecological Order" examines the impact of the European energy transition on Morocco's Imazighen Indigenous communities, especially those in the Draa-Tafilalet region, home to the world’s largest concentrated solar plant. This project approaches the energy transition from a cultural angle, highlighting Indigenous knowledge as a beacon of hope and showcasing resilience amid changing energy landscapes.
Traditionally, the Imazighen expressed their identity through crafts. Today, however, their culture is overshadowed by big tech and oil companies, which undermine traditional knowledge.
The installation acts as a symbolic totem, conceived as a dynamic force akin to the Sahara, rather than a static monument. It features found and collected daily objects, each with a unique story, illustrating how energy transitions and global forces shape daily life and culture. This narrative space encourages visitors to explore the true meaning of energy transition and how traditional knowledge—a fragile, nature-connected foundation—is being compromised by international projects like the NOOR solar plant. Although such projects signify progress, they are often entangled with extractivist agendas driven by fossil fuel corporations.
The installation represents both strength and danger, highlighting the complex, non-linear impacts of small elements within larger systems. It also reflects the wisdom of ancient Amazigh granaries, the world’s first banks, while cautioning against potential collapse into a ‘Babylon’.
"Researched Landscape of Morocco," photograph by Lesia Topolnyk, 2023.