Yachar Bouhaya has been a DESA architect for two decades. A graduate of the École Spéciale d'Architecture in Paris, he continued his training at the Parisian agencies Anne Démians and AW2. At the end of 2010, he founded the eponymous architecture firm. With Yachar, we look back at his last three collaborations with Aït Manos: the Nono Sea Taste restaurants in Tangier, Le Cabestan, and La Grande Brasserie in Casablanca.

How would you describe Yachar Bouhaya's style?

In Architecture, I would say that I am part of Neo Modern, which means architecture that serves function, devoid of ornamentation, simple without being austere.

In Interior Design, I think I am in what is called the Transitional, timeless style, which mixes antique or patinated elements, the warmth of oak wood with more contemporary accessories.

What were your inspirations for the Nono Sea Taste restaurant in Tangier?

As Chef Nora Larini's brief required, it was a marine dish, so the idea was to create a setting for it without falling into pastiche. I imagined an industrial-style mezzanine that set the tone, to which I added a bit of a relaxed Tulum-style seaside feel, then the furniture selection with Chloé Marcellas did the rest.

How did you choose your zellige tiles for Nono Sea Taste in Tangier?

As you already know, I like to introduce a touch of Zellige into CHR projects. I have already collaborated with the Aït Manos team for the restaurants Le Cabestan and La Grande Brasserie… this is perhaps a way for me to anchor them in a geographical context.

For the Nono Sea Taste, I opted for a mix of concrete-effect microcement with touches of exotic wood, honey-colored, I was convinced that green was the best answer. Initially, I was going for Forest Green which was the new color of Aït Manos, but I finally opted for Dark Green which gave exactly the pep I wanted. For more vibrancy, I differentiated the floor in 5x5 cm from the walls in 4.5x14 cm.

The Cabestan zellige fireplace occupies a prominent place in this project, tell us about it

Le Cabestan underwent a complete renovation of the premises in 2021. With the architect Sophia Sebti, we paid particular attention to the materials chosen to renovate this space: art deco wall paper patterns and floral plaster ceiling details, lower part of the wall in local black Khenifra marble compared to the warmth of the dark oak parquet and floor in small hexagons of porcelain stoneware.

For the fireplace area, we wanted zellige. We initially chose the Agathe color in 5x5 cm. But after talking with Nicolas Perez, the project's promoter, he wanted something even finer. We followed his idea to obtain the smallest zellige tile possible: 2.5x2.5 cm.

A black cast iron fireplace, zellige in the style of swimming pool tiles on both sides framed in smoked oak... the result is very beautiful, the scale changes everything.

The depth of the zellige and the pigments mean that the color varies depending on the time of day. Look at the Cabestan chimney during the day, when the light and the ocean flood the place, or at sunset, you can see green as well as gray. It's a fascinating natural spectacle that I never tire of.

And you wanted to keep the Agathe-colored zellige for La Grande Brasserie

For the La Grande Brasserie project, the brief was a chic, comfortable, warm brasserie, in the codes of gourmet and authentic cuisine.

For the facade of the establishment, I have indeed taken the Agathe du Cabestan colored zellige but this time in sticks, 14x4.5 cm Bejmat. The zellige is framed in curved black steel and an oak molding which forms the connecting train.

Tell us about your relationship with Aït Manos?

I've been working with Aït Manos since 2016. When I first started, I visited the workshop to meet the team and see how they work. The showroom provides a broader view of the colors, the multitude of formats, and how to use them.

I was able to discover the wide range of colors and the support of the Aït Manos team was important in my choices.

Today I am more independent thanks to the Zellibox * . I work in monochrome, I can spend time choosing my colors and presenting the sample to my clients. There is also a tactile relationship with zellige: having the tile in your hands when it comes time to make choices for a project changes everything!

* The Zellibox contains 48 pieces of cut and enameled Zellige, measuring 5x5 cm. The palette contains all the new products: Shades of gray, green, blue, warm colors and the two precious 3rd firing enamels exclusive to Aït Manos: Platinum & 18 carat gold.

Credits:

Yachar Bouhaya Architect

Sophia Sebti Architect

Lahcen Mellal Photography

Alessio Mei Photography

The Grande Brasserie, Casablanca

The Cabestan, Casablanca

Le Nono Sea Taste, Tangier