Heart of Doha, described as the new blue print for urban planning, is DOHALAND’s first project. The project was launched at the Four Seasons Hotel on May 24, 2009.
Heart of Doha is a 35-hectare site which is expected to transform the architectural center of the capital city, recreating a way of living that is rooted in Qatari culture. The development is located in Inner Doha, close to the historic origins of the country.
The mixed-use development will feature 226 buildings in total, ranging from three to 30 floors. It will include a national archive, theater, museum, hotels and heritage quarter. It will be located adjacent to the Emiri Diwan, Qatar’s seat of government and ruler’s palace.
DOHALAND has studied the built environment of the past in the context of the modern, innovative technologies and wants to develop structures that are suitable for the current environment, which in turn evoke the legacies and traditions that used to be an inherent part of the Qatari culture.
DOHALAND will build sustainable, innovative communities that enrich individual lives, promote environmentally friendly living, and rediscover the heritage and culture.
The project master plan observes a series of sustainable design objectives to make optimum use of microclimatic effects, to enhance thermal comfort, ensure maximization of water and energy efficiency, promote sustainable waste management and reduce carbon emissions across the site.
The primary objective of the ‘Heart of Doha’ project is to reverse the pattern of development and growth of Doha in recent decades which has tended towards isolated land uses with urban sprawl and heavy reliance on car transport. Focus will be on reducing car use and congestion, while improving connectivity across the wider city area.
An underground basement will be featured which will extend over the entire area accommodating approximately 13,700 car park spaces. This will effectively remove vehicles from the streets around the ‘Heart of Doha’, retrieving the outdoor spaces for the community to enjoy.
The buildings will be positioned in clusters and will have a façade articulation to respect the prevailing climate rather than to compete against it. Streets are aligned and building heights are increased towards the south of the site to benefit from the sea breezes.
Landscaped streets will run between the major blocks of the development, while smaller access lanes and pedestrian routes will interweave more randomly, offering greater protection from the intense sun.
Development in the ‘Heart of Doha’ will be based on DOHALAND’s five pillars; heritage and culture, innovation, sustainability, enrichment and environment. It will make use of certain aspects of traditional Qatari architecture featuring proportion, simplicity, space, light, layering, ornament and response to climate.
UK’s engineering and design firm, Arup Associates, is the principal consultant, global design firm EDAW/ AECOM will provide urban design, planning and landscape architecture services and Allies and UK’s architectural practice Morrison Architects will offer architecture services.
The entire scheme is estimated to be completed by 2016.
