The first of four laboratory wings at the Erg Solar Campus in southern Morocco topped out this month, its rammed-earth walls standing at full height. Built from soil excavated on site and compacted in 15-centimetre layers, the walls carry the valley’s own colours. Work on the photovoltaic canopy begins in November.
Yasmin Haddad, the partner leading the project, said the team had tested 46 soil mixes before choosing the final three. The campus is planned to open to its first researchers in 2027.