A new student residence will see the light of day in Casablanca. It is a concept developed between Dyar al Madina, a subsidiary of the CDG Développement group, and the Hassan II University of Aïn Chock at the level of the El-Jadida road. The project aims to contribute to reducing the deficit in student housing in the region, but also to offer them "a pleasant, peaceful, secure, and friendly working environment", according to the officials of the said residence.
The project, which requires an investment of approximately 240 million dirhams, will have a capacity of 2,100 beds. According to a document from the company in charge of the project, "the first phase, consisting of 1,100 beds, is planned for the 2013 academic year. It will require an estimated investment of 140 MDH". The new residence will allow the city of Casablanca to create a certain balance between the deficit in housing intended for students and the strong demand coming from the surrounding towns and villages. It must be said that the majority of young people who pursue their higher education in Casablanca reside in state university cities.
The others who have made the choice to live in private campuses or residences live in quite expensive conditions, sometimes unfavourable, and often in places far from study locations and not meeting the necessary conditions for the student. Faced with this observation, the company Dyar Al Madina has adopted "a strategy for this niche that meets, on the one hand, the market need in support of the will of public authorities aiming to reduce the significant need for student housing and, on the other hand, introduces new products that are innovative in concept and services by relying on its expertise in terms of development, but also in terms of management and operation".
Called a new generation residence, the residence which will be installed on a 2.9 ha plot has been designed to ensure independence and autonomy for students, while making them responsible through the implementation of internal regulations that govern communal life within the residence and the relationships between students and with the management. Permanent contact will also be established with the students' parents. Regarding the quality of life inside the residence, the project designers have planned green spaces, secure rooms with pleasant architecture that meets standards. Rooms dedicated to people with reduced mobility will also be set up. Furthermore, study rooms and local shops as well as reception lounges have been planned in order to create a favourable atmosphere for students.
According to provisional higher education statistics for 2008, only 12% of higher education students (i.e., nearly 290,000 people) are taken care of in state university residences.
The company Dyar Al Madina thus approached this market as early as 2005, through the launch of construction work for the first student residence in Rabat, in operation since 2007. The company has also developed the same concept in Meknes and El-Jadida, with a total capacity of 2,424 beds and an investment of 168 MDH. Dyar Al Madina wants to cover the main cities, notably Fes, Marrakech, Agadir, and Tangier.
The company's objective, in the short and medium term, is to reach a capacity of more than 6,000 beds in its residences, both those existing and those under construction. Its ambition for the long term is to exceed 10,000 beds.
-* 630 single rooms with 13 m² of useful surface area
-* 735 double rooms with 17.5 m² of useful surface area
-* Total project surface area: 39,000 m².
