The museum, which covers more than 4,000 square meters, was designed by design Studio KO. The museum has a permanent exhibition space of 400 square meters, a temporary exhibition space of 150 square meters, an auditorium with 130 seats, a bookstore, a cafe with a terrace and a research library capable of storing 5,000 books.

Since first opening its doors in 2017, the Musee Yves Saint Laurent became an immediate design and cultural destination in Marrakech. Dedicated to the work of the legendary French couturier, whose famed two and a half acre Marjorelle Garden is located just around the corner, the museum houses an important selection from the Fondation Pierre Berge (comprising some 5,000 items of clothing, 15,000 haute couture accessories and tens of thousands of sketches and assorted objects). 

Studio KO took the lead from the celebrated fashion designer’s work and archives, as well as his profound love affair with the Moroccan city. While researching the designer’s archives in Paris, the architects were intrigued by the duality between curved and straight lines, and the succession of loose and clean cuts. Designed to recall the weft and warp of fabric, the lace-like curved brick facade is undoubtedly the hero of the structure. 

The exterior comprises cubic forms adorned with terracotta brickwork, creating a pattern that resembles threads of fabric. The terracotta, concrete and earthen terrazzo with Moroccan stone fragments assure the building blends seamlessly with its surroundings. Produced by a local supplier, the bricks are made from Moroccan earth, while the terrazzo uses a combination of local stone and marble.  The interior is markedly different, evocative of the brand’s French luxury origins, featuring brass detailing, intricate timber panelling and polished stone floors.