CASABLANCA moves to safeguard its architectural heritage.

News that the venerable Hotel Lincoln on the Boulevard Mohammed V will not be demolished has been greeted with relief in Casablanca. Instead, its facade will be saved and investors sought for a de-luxe hotel and conference centre to be built within its shell.

Designed by the architect Hubert Bride in 1916, the building had been under threat of demolition for more than 10 years since part of the old hotel collapsed, killing two passers by.

The regional branch of the ONA -- National Organisation of Architects -- which was largely instrumental in having the sentence commuted, is now pressing for it to be declared a listed site.

The Immeuble Bessoneau, as it is locally known, is not only important as an outstanding example of early Art Deco; its rebirth as a new hotel will improve the shabby Central Market area, attracting more tourists to this interesting part of Casablanca.

Until now Morocco has shown little interest in preserving its more recent heritage, and with a plethora of historic monuments requiring maintenance, which should have priority is a dilemma.

Restoration work has been carried out on the Almohad Mosque at Tin Mal, the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh and the vibrant Rue Nejjarine, a major artery in the old medina in Fez, but many later structures have either been altered, abandoned or demolished.

The imperial cities -- Fez, Meknes and Marrakesh -- are arguably the most frequently visited places, but tourists also flock to Florida to experience the Art Deco architecture of South Beach Miami, while Casablanca -- a treasure trove of this exuberant style -- remains still largely associated with the classic film of the same name, rather than its rich architectural heritage.

Pressure from both the ONA and Casamemoire (an association of architects, writers and intellectuals dedicated to preserving the local heritage) has seen the Sidi Belyout authority responsible for Casablanca becoming aware of its potential to attract visitors.

Experts also add that the city is one of the most interesting examples of the last century's urban planning schemes, the most notable contribution coming from the French Protectorate of 1912-56.

Records show that Anfa (as the city was originally known) has been in an almost continual cycle of development since the early Middle Ages when its income was derived from trade and piracy.

Portugal invaded the settlement in 1469, returning a century later to build fortifications around the colony of white-washed houses they called Casa Branca.

They departed in 1755 when the town was damaged by the same great earthquake that destroyed Lisbon. Anfa was later re-populated by local tribes who called it by the Arabic name Darel-Beida. The name remained in use until the mid-19th century when Spanish traders switched to the now familiar Casa Blanca.

At the beginning of the 20th century Casablanca had a population of around 20,000. By 1927 -- augmented by many French settlers -- this figure had grown to 120,000 and reached 682,000 in 1952. By now most of the city's considerable Jewish community had left, but barely five years after independence, total population had passed the million mark

Today covering a huge swathe of coastal plain from Mohammedia to Sidi Abderrahmane, induding dozens of suburbs and many bidonvilles inhabited by the rural poor, Casablanca's present population exceeds 3.5 million.

The gateway to the Maghreb -- Royal Air Maroc flies there from five continents -- it is the largest city, the commercial, industrial and social hub of Morocco, best known, at least in the Muslim world, for the great Hassan II Mosque completed in 1993.

Clearly nothing will ever surpass this magnificent monument visible for 10 miles out to sea, but while a major attraction (it is the only mosque in Morocco to admit tourists) the legacy of the French Protectorate must not be overlooked.

Critics claim its administrator, General Lyautey, created nouvelles villes in order to avoid contact with the natives, but his idea of building outside the medina walls saved places such as Fezel-Bali, now a UN World Heritage site, from certain destruction.

While a more likely reason was the lack of infrastructure within the city walls, Lyautey can none the less be credited as one of the first to recognise the importance of preserving the national heritage and his scheme for urban Casablanca was no less visionary than the late monarch's place of worship.

Each zone -- military, commercial, industrial, residential and leisure -- was carefully planned by Lyautey with the architect Henri Prost.

The wide boulevards are especially remarkable considering there were very few automobiles in Morocco at this time. French flair at town planning is also seen in parks and a typically Gallic corniche curling around the rugged coastline to Ain Diab.

Today Casablanca's architecture includes flat-roofed, white-washed houses in the old medina, eclectic vestiges of late Second Empire and early Art Deco, Mauresque-style administrative buildings and Maroc-moderne homes in wealthy garden suburbs, but it is the flamboyant 1920-30s period that is sought out by international connoisseurs.

An exhibition devoted to the Art Deco heritage was recently mounted by Casamemoire at the Villa des Arts, a restored 1930s mansion at 1 Rue Mozart in up-town Casablanca. As well as holding exhibitions and discussions, Casamemoire conducts walking tours with a guide to indicate prominent buildings.

Practically every second edifice is worthy of comment. The Palais de Justice, 1923, on the Place Mohammed V and the splendid Hotel de Ville designed by Marius Boyer in 1928, are of special interest. The soaring Eglise Sacre-Coeur constructed between 1930-52 on the elegant Rue Alger is also a must see.

In downtown Casablanca, the abundance of early 20th century architecture ranged along the Avenue Hassan II and the Boulevard Mohammed V includes commercial buildings such as banks, post offices, shipping companies and insurance companies as well as de-luxe apartments.

Here is Art-Deco par excellence, facades sprouting heads of Bacchus, bunches of grapes and other fanciful neo-marocain ornamentations. Cupolas, steel balconies and tiled loggias are prominent features while entrances display zellige mosaic walls, marble floors and eccentric old wrought iron elevators. Arcades beneath the buildings (the Passage de Glaoui 1922 and the Passage de Grand Socco, 1932, are good examples) are a feature of the infra-structure, but though intriguing they are poorly lit, rather sinister passageways.

The state of the arcades in particular symbolises the neglect, certainly economic, but also due to indifference, that continues to pervade. The Hotel Lincoln may have won a reprieve, but it seems unfortunate that the old medina -- while it may not have the same merit as Fez-el-Bali -- should have a boulevard driven through it in the name of progress.