Majorelle Garden opens Nouala pavilion on 29 October 2026
Published on 10/31/2026 at 16:22 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSArchitecture and access in Marrakech
- The Fondation Jardin Majorelle opened Nouala, the Mobile Refuge, to visitors on 29 October 2026.
- Salsabil El Ouazzani's pavilion in Villa Oasis houses a bird exhibition from April 2026.
- Jacques Majorelle began planting the 9,000 m² garden with exotic specimens in 1922.
- Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé acquired the site in 1980.
A new visitor experience at Majorelle Garden (Jardin Majorelle) in Marrakech began on 29 October 2026, when Nouala, the Mobile Refuge opened to the public. The temporary pavilion by Moroccan architect Salsabil El Ouazzani combines a contemporary structure with an exhibition about the garden's birdlife.
The opening follows an inauguration on 28 October 2026 and adds a new architectural element to one of Marrakech's established cultural sites. The pavilion stands in the garden of Villa Oasis, the former home associated with Jacques Majorelle, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.
Nouala pavilion opens at Villa Oasis on 29 October
Nouala, the Mobile Refuge is the second temporary pavilion produced through the Fondation Jardin Majorelle Prize. The competition supports emerging Moroccan architects, and El Ouazzani's design was selected from 34 applications in the 2026 edition.
The structure reinterprets the nouala, a traditional rural hut made with materials such as reeds and thatch. It is light and demountable, with an assembly based on simple natural materials and reversible construction. The organisers describe it as a space placed in dialogue with the surrounding vegetation rather than as a permanent building. opening details for the pavilion confirm that visitors could enter from 29 October 2026.
The pavilion also houses The Birds of Majorelle Garden, an exhibition presented since April 2026. It examines more than 30 bird species found on the site and was developed with contributions from Raphaël Musseau, Rhimou El Hamoumi and Mohamed Radi. the exhibition and opening report links the new structure to the site's biodiversity.
How the new pavilion relates to the historic garden
The garden covers 9,000 m² and was developed over four decades. Jacques Majorelle began planting exotic botanical specimens there in 1922, creating a walled landscape of pathways, plants and buildings influenced by Art Deco and Moorish design.
Its later history also shapes the setting for Villa Oasis. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought the garden in 1980 to prevent its destruction by hotel development, and they lived in the villa that they renamed Villa Oasis. The new pavilion therefore places a temporary work by a younger Moroccan architect beside a part of the estate connected with the site's twentieth-century preservation.
That relationship gives the October opening a specific character: visitors encounter both a fixed historical landscape and a structure designed to be removed or renewed. The prize operates on a biennial principle, with a new pavilion entrusted to a future winner every two years. The installation also extends the visit beyond plant collections by directing attention to nesting spaces, water and the bird species that use the garden.
Visiting Majorelle Garden: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Nouala, the Mobile Refuge opened to visitors on 29 October 2026 in the Villa Oasis garden, with The Birds of Majorelle Garden inside the pavilion.
- The pavilion is part of the visitor experience at Villa Oasis, so the October 2026 opening adds architecture and a bird exhibition to the garden visit.
- The site is on Rue Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech, Morocco, in the Guéliz area of the city.
- The official site states that the garden is wheelchair accessible; the landscape includes pathways on different levels.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Majorelle Garden
When did Nouala open at Majorelle Garden?
Nouala, the Mobile Refuge opened to visitors on 29 October 2026 in the Villa Oasis garden. It contains The Birds of Majorelle Garden exhibition.
What is new at Majorelle Garden?
The new feature is a temporary, demountable pavilion by Salsabil El Ouazzani, accompanied by a bird exhibition presented since April 2026.
Where is Majorelle Garden and how do you get there?
The garden is on Rue Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech, Morocco, in the Guéliz area. The official site also records wheelchair access.
