Hakimi and Hassan Hajjaj unveil creative JUJ space in Casablanca during AFCON

09:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Hakimi and Hassan Hajjaj unveil creative JUJ space in Casablanca during AFCON

Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi and acclaimed artist Hassan Hajjaj have joined forces to open JUJ, a creative concept space in Casablanca launched in the run up to the Africa Cup of Nations. Conceived as a temporary venue, the project aims to mirror Morocco’s vibrant cultural energy during the tournament by bringing together football, contemporary art, and elements of Moroccan pop culture in a single immersive environment. The initiative targets a broad audience of fans, art lovers, and visitors looking to experience a modern take on Moroccan identity in an informal, accessible setting.

JUJ has been designed as a hybrid venue combining a café and a pop up store, where visitors can enjoy coffee while exploring limited edition objects and design pieces inspired by football and urban Moroccan life. The collaboration has attracted attention because it links two high profile figures from different creative spheres, with Hakimi representing elite sport and Hajjaj representing contemporary visual art, united around a shared vision of experimentation and cultural expression. Their partnership underlines how football’s global visibility can intersect with art and design to create new forms of cultural engagement in Casablanca.

The space is not primarily conceived as a conventional commercial project, but rather as a short term cultural platform that exists for the duration of the AFCON period. Its interior features bold colors, graphic motifs, and playful references to Moroccan daily life and popular imagery, intended to resonate with local visitors as well as international fans traveling for the tournament. The concept positions JUJ as a living showcase of contemporary Moroccan creativity, where design, branding, and social interaction are woven together in a single experience.

Hassan Hajjaj, born in Larache in 1961, is widely regarded as one of Morocco’s most prominent contemporary artists, known for blending traditional Moroccan aesthetics with global street culture, fashion, and advertising codes. Often described as a pioneer of Moroccan pop art, he has exhibited his work in major institutions, including the British Museum in London and the Brooklyn Museum in New York, bringing Moroccan visual culture to a wide international audience. His involvement in JUJ gives the project an additional artistic dimension and situates the space within a broader trajectory of Moroccan art engaging with global trends.

For professionals following cultural and creative industries, JUJ illustrates how star athletes and artists can collaborate to build short lived but high impact projects that amplify a country’s image during major sporting events. The concept space offers a case study in how experiential venues can function as both cultural statements and meeting points, creating visibility for local creativity while leveraging international attention around competitions such as AFCON. As Casablanca continues to position itself as a regional hub for culture and lifestyle, projects like JUJ contribute to shaping the city’s contemporary narrative on and off the pitch.