A 50-villa residential project on Marrakech’s Route de l’Ourika reframes the mid-century Californian dream through a North African prism. Presentation on January 26.
What happens when an artist with a global platform decides to build rather than perform? When did the stage become a five-hectare plot of land at the foot of the Atlas Mountains? For GIMS, the answer lies in concrete, claustra, and conviction.
The Valley – Private Residences, set to be unveiled on January 26 at Marrakech’s Meydane venue, marks the second collaboration between the French-Congolese musician and Moroccan developer Horizon Morocco. But calling it a sequel would miss the point. This is a restatement of intent—sharper, bolder, more democratically priced.
The Palm Springs Parallel
GIMS draws a direct line between Marrakech’s southern corridor and the Californian desert. “The Route de l’Ourika is like Palm Springs,” he states. “The mountains, the gateway to the desert, the valley, Morocco’s contemporary modernism, and that eternal vacation feeling.”
It’s a comparison that could feel forced elsewhere. Here, it lands. The architectural brief, developed with YBA Architectes, explicitly references the Case Study Houses—those post-war experiments that turned Southern California into a laboratory for modern living. Horizontal volumes. Radical transparency. The subordination of architecture to landscape.
Local Inflections
Yet The Valley resists mere importation. The design team has grafted Moroccan elements onto the mid-century skeleton: claustra screens that modulate light and shadow throughout the day; a material palette shifted toward terracotta and ochre; terrazzo floors that nod to centuries of local craft traditions. Each villa features a rooftop terrace—spatial punctuation that belongs unmistakably to this geography, where domestic life has always extended skyward.
An integrated concierge service adds another layer of locality, translating the region’s hospitality culture into contemporary residential terms.
The centerpiece: a 100-meter reflecting pool flanked by retro-styled loungers and sculptural parasols, with 24 of 50 villas claiming waterfront positions. Flanking pavilions house a clubhouse featuring a restaurant, bar, workspaces, and a dedicated wellness center with a spa, fitness studio, and yoga facilities. The composition suggests both resort and retreat, without collapsing into either.
The Sunset Village Precedent
That first project, Sunset Village – Private Residences, launched in 2024 with a different formal language: softer curves inscribed into the landscape, obsessive material consistency through brushed stainless steel detailing—from taps to door handles to window frames—and a swimmable lagoon as social anchor. A turquoise rooftop paddle court. A clubhouse with hammam, sauna, and co-working spaces calibrated for a nomadic clientele.
The formula attracted international footballers, French and Middle Eastern artists, industrialists, and political figures. Over 85% sold. Remaining units now start at €900,000, reaching €1.5 million.
“I loved the creative challenge of understanding what worked at Sunset Village and reinterpreting it differently for The Valley,” GIMS reflects. The shift from curves to angles isn’t a contradiction—it’s a counterpoint.
Democratizing the Vision
The Valley recalibrates the entry point. All 50 villas will be priced between €490,000 and €750,000—a conscious decision to widen access without diluting ambition. “We wanted to make our vision accessible to more people,” GIMS explains. Quality and beauty, the partners argue, should not default to exclusivity.
Located fifteen minutes from Marrakech’s Hivernage district, the site offers proximity to the Atlas peaks, the Agafay desert, and the Ourika Valley— geography that justifies the Palm Springs analogy.
The Reveal
January 26 will also open sales for Sunset Village’s “Prime” phase—enhanced specifications starting at €1 million for buyers seeking maximum refinement.
The Valley delivers mid-2028. Invitation requests: horizonmorocco.com.
For GIMS, this is architecture as autobiography—a permanent mark on the country he calls home. For Marrakech, it’s another data point in an evolving conversation about what Moroccan modernism can become. horizonmorocco.com
