Rabat – Moroccan architect Lotfi Sidirahal has won two world awards of Prix Versailles in the category of Hotels and Restaurants.
Sidirahal won Prix Versailles for his design of Anantara Jabal Akhdar Resort in Oman, and a special prize for his design of Villa Gapi in Casablanca.
A graduate of the French architecture l’École Spéciale d’Architecture (ESA Paris), the Moroccan went on to be become a very successful designer. In 1999 he founded PoD, an architecture and design studio that grew that in reputation as an innovative laboratory.
The studio’s projects have been exhibited around the world including major exhibition centers such as Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, the Vitra Design Museum in Berlin, Kunsthaus Graz in Austria, Canal Fundacion in Madrid, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) at Boston, and the Hangaram Design Museum in Seoul.
Prior to its Prix Versailles achievement, PoD was awarded the creativity prize at Feidad in Taiwan, Eiffel Tower prize in Paris as well as two prizes for Architecture and Interior Design at the A design awards in Milan, the world’s largest event in international design.
It was also nominated amongst the 40 best architecture studios worldwide at the “Borromini Awards” in Rome.
After establishing itself as a major design studio in Paris, PoD expanded to Casablanca and Dubai. The design of Anantara Jabal Akhdar Resort, one of Sidirahal’s greatest achievements, stands as a modern design wonder.
The resort is perched over 2,000 meters above sea level, on the rim of a curving canyon. It is built in an area of 24,000m² that includes 115 rooms and villas, six restaurants and lounges, a signature spa and recreation facilities. PoD said Sidirahal and his design team for the resort immersed themselves in Omani culture, explaining that before starting the project, they spent several days in the area.
