Why are Moroccan houses inward-facing, not outward?
The short answer
Wealth is expressed inward, toward the courtyard, not outward toward the street. A plain exterior wall protects domestic life from the public gaze. It's not a limitation — it's a deliberate value system called hchouma, roughly: what's private stays private.
From the street, every house looks the same. Plain walls, a wooden door, maybe a brass knocker. No garden, no porch, no bay windows announcing wealth. The derb gives nothing away.
Open the door, and the house explodes inward. Tiled courtyard, carved plaster, painted cedarwood, a fountain surrounded by orange trees. The contrast is deliberate and total.
The principle is hchouma — roughly, modesty or the avoidance of shame. Displaying wealth on the exterior is considered tasteless. The street is shared public space; flaunting possessions there invites envy, theft, and the evil eye. The interior is private. Inside, you can build a palace. Outside, the wall says nothing.
The result is a city that hides its wealth behind blank walls. The most expensive riad in Marrakech is indistinguishable from its neighbors until you step inside. Real estate agents know this. So do thieves — which is partly the point.
It also explains why your taxi driver can't find your riad. There are no visual cues. No house number that means anything, no nameplate visible from the street, no distinguishing feature. Every door in the derb looks like every other door. You learn your own door the way residents do — by counting turns, not reading signs.