This research explores the socio-cultural shifts in housing practices, specifically the transition from traditional courtyard dwellings to contemporary housing arrangements in Morocco. The courtyard housing typology, with its roots in Neolithic settlements, embodies a fusion of local architectural traditions with modern techniques, offering inspiration for humane and sustainable design. Influenced by social, environmental, and cultural factors, the courtyard house has played a pivotal role in the traditional Moroccan architecture. This research study employs a qualitative methodology based on secondary data sources, conducting case studies in different climatic regions to explore the socio-cultural shifts from traditional courtyard dwellings to contemporary housing practices in Morocco. The study also provides insights from successful examples from Arab and East-Asian regions to provide evidence of the applicability of courtyards in diverse cultural contexts. These case studies provide in-depth examinations of the modern transformations of courtyard housing and the emergence of collective housing models. This research aims to provide a holistic understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics shaping housing practices in Morocco, while drawing valuable insights from modern transformation of courtyard housing examples in Arab and East Asian regions. The challenge lies in adapting these insights to create modern courtyard houses aligned with current needs exploring the potential for a contemporary revival of courtyard design, blending past and present values to create responsive urban forms that meet the evolving needs of modern society.

Urban green spaces (UGS) have an important role to play in improving public health by enhancing atmospheric quality, reducing the urban heat island effects, and offering free spaces for physical activity to improve mental health Oosterbroek (Urban For. Urban Green 86:128023, 2023), Chen (Land 10:1367, 2021). In cities such as Rabat, which is known for hosting many emblematic urban greening and historical gardens, the preservation and expansion of green spaces is essential to assure an equitable distribution of these qualitative spaces, ensuring both environmental sustainability and overall public health. Although there is an abundant number of green spaces within the city, spatial inequalities between districts persist, leading to severe environmental degradation, particularly in densely populated areas. As green spaces are considered as the key elements in promoting healthier urban environments, this study uses geospatial data analysis based on satellite imagery (Sentinel 2A) to assess the availability, distribution, and health of vegetation covers among the five administrative districts of Rabat. Satellite imagery, particularly high-resolution data from Sentinel A2, in combination with AI techniques such as deep learning for geospatial classification, allows for a precise assessment of urban green space (UGS) quality. This research integrates advanced spatial analysis with environmental data to identify key areas where green areas can be expanded or improved to better support urban health outcomes by mainly using primary geospatial data of four selected vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, VARI, and SAVI) to provide a comprehensive assessment of Rabat's urban green spaces. The results of this research explore the opportunities of using the geospatial technologies for informed urban planning, especially in the Moroccan context, in the case of Rabat. The outcome presents actionable strategies for policymakers to increase the quality and performance of urban greening to help promote environmental resilience and improve overall urban health conditions in urban environments.

As cities continue to expand rapidly, green spaces play an increasingly vital role in improving residents’ well-being, promoting environmental sustainability, and enhancing social cohesion. By conducting a multi-faceted methodology, this study aims to assess urban greening in Fez, Morocco, using the Remote Sensing-Based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and urban policy review. Quantitative analysis involves calculating the amount of green space available per person and per square kilometer in each administrative district of the city and computing NDVI derived from Copernicus Sentinel-2 A satellite imagery processed through Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. This approach allows for precise measurement and mapping of vegetation coverage and distribution within the city. The evaluation of green space coverage in Fez indicates substantial variation from one district to another that reflects issues of social equity within the city. These disparities underscore the need for more equitable urban planning to ensure fair distribution of green spaces and improve quality of life across all districts. This approach enables a comprehensive assessment of green spaces, considering both quantity and quality, to support evidence-based recommendations for their integration into urban planning strategies. The study provides insights for practitioners, policymakers, and local districts on how to emphasize the impact of availability and high-quality green spaces in promoting the overall well-being of citizens. It contributes to the limited body of case studies in literature, providing a foundation for further research in similar or different contexts to the city of Fez, with the intention of identifying the best practices suited to each urban setting.

In light of the impacts of climate change and the demands of heritage management and conservation, the use of emerging technologies is now a necessity. Over time, climate change has generated negative effects that have particularly affected the historical fabric of North Africa’s semi-urban contexts. This paper aimed to demonstrate how the integration of City Information Modelling (CIM) methodologies into the management of the historical heritage of oasis towns can be effectively implemented according to a frugal paradigm, responding to the specificities of contexts characterised by limited technological infrastructure and significant constraints in terms of economic resources and specialist skills. The study focuses on a historic district of the Figuig Oasis in Morocco, one of the most emblematic cases, known for its severe deterioration and the presence of unusable documentation in the form of documents and reports. The study’s workflow was developed using OpenBIM and OpenGIS and hosted in a Common Data Environment. The study arose from a recurring request from decision-makers for less costly, scalable, and rational tools for heritage management. The methodological framework aligns with global efforts for heritage conservation, contributing a reproducible reference approach for similar contexts affected by climate change.

Flood events in agricultural floodplains reflect not only rainfall intensity but the vulnerability of the affected area at the moment of the event. This study examines the January–February 2026 flood in Larache Province, Morocco, through an integrated remote sensing workflow combining Sentinel-1 SAR, CHIRPS precipitation, and Dynamic World land cover in Google Earth Engine, processed via the rgee R package. Flood extent was mapped using SAR backscatter change detection and cross-checked against rainfall dynamics, yielding about 6660 ha of inundation (2.4% of the province), concentrated along the main Loukkos river corridor and adjacent floodplain around Ksar El Kebir, with smaller scattered patches to the south. Land cover was assessed across four temporal windows (spring 2025, pre-event, post-event, and spring 2026) to evaluate how the landscape entered the event and how it recovered. A significant share of normally cultivated land was in a bare-soil state before the flood, a condition that the literature associates with increased runoff. Post-flood analysis across 25 sample areas grouped into three geomorphic zones shows spatially uneven recovery, with cropland still below seasonal norms in spring 2026. These patterns are consistent with structural land-use conditions (wetland loss, intensive seasonal agriculture, drought-degraded soils) that may have amplified an already severe event. The findings support cover cropping, updated flood-hazard zoning, and targeted wetland restoration to reduce vulnerability in the Loukkos floodplain and comparable Mediterranean alluvial floodplains.