The Shadow Earth Maze Trail Research Thesis Part 2 Project 2023 Megan Jennifer King Cardiff University | UK Local adaptation involves evaluating a locality's technical and environmental traits to implement a responsive architectural approach with diverse benefits to the local environment.Subsequently, the summer climate in Morocco, particularly in the Atlas Mountains, reaches over 40 degrees. Therefore, local inhabitants seek a cooler micro-climate inside their modest dwellings.The proposed shaded circulation route, built with earth, enhances public gathering and creates a temperature-controlled micro-climate, liberating locals from heat and confined dwellings. The thesis focuses exclusively on the Atlas Mountains site, considering its unique typography and solar geometry. Vertical architecture emerged from initial solar research, tailored to site solar geometry. The thesis explores the application of the locally adapted architectural phenomenon 'The Shadow Earth Maze Trail' to connect existing Berber trek trails through shaded routes, attracting tourists and boosting the local economy while facilitating mobility even in intense heat.The study's outcomes offer speculative grounds for a reverse masterplan system mimicking high-density urban morphology. Although unfinished, findings suggest a potential shift from low-density to high-density population driven by demand for more extensive living areas. The research's local adaptation of a small-scale site provides insights for large-scale interventions and has the potential to influence other areas with beneficial street pattern morphologies. Tutor(s) Gianni Botsford Kate Darby