Salima Naji is an architect based in Morocco, where she uses local materials that respect the local environment and culture. She has also earned a PhD in anthropology. From her earliest projects, her approach has been to work with and involve local artisans, in line with the teachings of the Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy. Her architecture, which nonetheless remains contemporary, is based on the rediscovery of ancestral construction methods and techniques from the Moroccan vernacular tradition that are, if necessary, refined and reinvested in an eco-friendly construction that sublimates the artisan’s work.
In addition, she has been involved in cultural rescue and development for several years, helping to rehabilitate various igudars - fortified granaries -, mosques, and fortified villages known as ksours.
She has received multiple awards and authored several publications, besides participating in several juries internationally.