Buro Happold supports major sustainability-led Gulf project

29/11/2011 Written by: Gill Sincock No comments

Consultancy delivering phase 2 and 3 of Heart of Doha, Qatar’s responsible urban redevelopment

Situated in central Doha, Qatar’s capital city and economic powerhouse, the Heart of Doha is an ambitious and ground breaking urban redevelopment project. The 35 hectare, mixed use development is in five phases. Building on traditional Arabian architecture and design, it will create sustainable modern urban living, and reflect the city’s deep rooted cultural heritage. The site is located in the traditional old souk area of Doha and as such is one of the few city centre remodelling projects being undertaken in the region.

International multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold is involved with delivery phases 2 and 3, which are based on the Royal family’s vision of filling the gap in Qatar’s architectural history and of creating lasting, commercially appropriate sustainable development. The project aligns strongly with our aim to be leading the technical development of urban regeneration alongside the world’s best urban planning teams. When the pace of development is considered it is clear that the project is an ideal opportunity for us to showcase the capability and capacity of our technical teams in a sector we are deeply passionate about.

Delivering the vision

The consultancy is providing a full range of engineering disciplines and skills for the project which has been commissioned by Msheireb Properties and will include hotels, a retail galleria, a mosque, commercial and residential accommodation, all referencing traditional Qatari building methods, visually and physically. For example the new Galleria in phase 2 will use long-established local methods of ventilation including natural air movement and shading, while the site’s dense urban grain allows cooling winds to blow north to south, and streets are staggered east to west give intermittent patches of light and shade. At the same time the engineering challenges of deep basements in rock in a city centre environment ensure that our technical teams are contributing fully to the successful outcome of the design and delivery of the development.

Buro Happold’s project director Tim Page said “The Heart of Doha is a fascinating and challenging project which aims to re-establish the centre of Doha as a desirable place to live and work. The vision shared by the client and the design team is one which preserves the rich heritage of Qatari culture in a sustainably designed development. It will be a truly eclectic environment, reinvigorating the city’s existing heritage with contemporary living and state of the art technology.” At 35 hectares the scale of the project is breathtaking, this added to the speed of delivery make it one of the most exciting projects in our portfolio.

The five pillars of Dohaland

Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation, has identified five forward-thinking core values for the development, which set down the importance of sustainable design for the development. They include;

• Innovation:
  “It is about creating new ideas, doing things differently, adding value to people’s lives in every possible way, a method of making each day easier for people, and putting a smile on their faces, at Msheireb Properties, it is a tribute to the people.”
  
  The Msheireb Heart of Doha project leads to a fresh and integrated approach where heritage, economic sustainability, environment and social enrichment are considered holistically.
• Heritage:
  “It is more than a glorious past, it is about making sure that the future is bright, and doing everything to retain its uniqueness. It is the foundation for progress, the lessons learnt by our forefathers, a direction on what is right and how to do it right. At Msheireb Properties, we consider it our stepping stone.”
  
  The recognition of existing spaces with cultural and historic value and their persistence in the new plan will naturally produce the articulation of the future.
• Enrichment:
  “It is more than just individual milestones, It is about realizing our capabilities to the maximum, doing justice to the hidden potential within, and giving back to the society that made us what we are today. At Msheireb Properties, it is about enhancing the quality of life.”
  
  The car dominated lifestyle and isolated social norm of the suburbs will be replaced by beautiful designed and compact city districts where family homes will be within easy walking distance of schools, shops, public squares, mosques and other cultural activities. Sense of community will be rediscovered.
• Sustainability:
  “Sustainability it is the art of preserving, creating a legacy that’ll last forever, it is about ensuring there is always a roof over someone’s head, a wall to reflect someone’s imagination, and a window for someone’s eyes. At Msheireb Properties, it is a promise to never let go.”
  
  To re-energise the core of the city and strengthen the historic heart close to the Emiri Diwan, it is essential to reverse the dispersal to the suburbs by creating a vibrant centre once again where families can live in beautiful homes and enjoy the benefits of a strong, well served local community.
• Environment:
  “It is more than just plants, trees and flowers, it is about preserving the wonderful gift of nature, and what we can do to save the best for our children for the future so we can look into their eyes with pride. At Msheireb Properties, it is a commitment to coming generations.”
  
  By understanding the local climate and prevailing wind direction, the masterplan addresses sustainability issues effectively at the scale of the city district. Streets and urban blocks are positioned on a north- south axis to allow cools sea breeze to flush out heat generated by traffic and sun- exposure, and also provide shade for most part of the day.

The lead designer for two phases of the development is Gensler Associates International, acting as executive architects and overseeing a ‘family’ of architects to deliver the project.