One of my favorite excursions while in Morocco was a visit to the École Supérieure des Arts Visuels (ESAV). ESAV is a non-profit higher education institution specializing in cinema, audiovisual production, and graphic design in Marrakesh. While there I had the honor of meeting Maha Mouidine, Academic Coordinator for ESAV’s Graphic and Digital Design Department.
After touring ESAV and hearing about their impressive program and students, Maha brought me to a nearby neighborhood where an unknown lettering artist has created beautiful vernacular Arabic and Latin typography. Called Badii (البديع), this small commercial area has an array of hand-painted signs that is incredibly distinctive.
A few highlights from Badii are shown below. Particular favorites of mine are the twisty, dimensional letters for Tapissier Badr, and the vertical, ultrawide letters for Climatisée. The blue and white pillar signs for a local home services / hardware store were created in a similar style (Plomberie), and the “Climatisation” pillar showcases a creative solution for when space is tight.
We did ask a few local business owners if they knew anything about this sign painter. Apparently he shows up occasionally and offers his services to businesses, but no one knew his name or contact information. When we visited in spring 2026 he hadn’t been seen for a while. Let’s hope he’s providing his services to new businesses around the city, and creating more of this delightful work.
Map of Signs in Badii, Marrakesh
