Qatar is home to an eclectic mix of architecture with building designs ranging from traditional to modern. Doha, the capital city, is filled with amazing architectural feats including Souq Waqif, The Pearl, Qatar University, and more. It was not, however, until the 1970s that the city became modernized. The architectural landscape of Qatar is constantly changing as world famous architects design new landmarks. Below is information on some of the interesting architectural building styles found around Qatar.
The Museum of Islamic Art
The Museum of Islamic Art, located in Doha on a man-made island, was designed by architect I.M. Pei, who was brought out of retirement for the job. The museum is connected to shore by three bridges, one of which carries cars, while the other two act as pedestrian crossings. Guests can also arrive to the museum by boat and pull up to a grand entrance with two 100 foot tall lanterns marking the boat dock. The museum consists of two limestone, cream colored buildings, a two story wing for education, and a five story main building. The main building features a domed atrium with an oculus at the top which reflects beautifully patterned light. The museum incorporates both traditional and modern building architectural styles.
Qatar Islamic Culture Center
The Qatar Islamic Culture Center is a prominent landmark in the city of Doha. It features an interesting minaret designed to look like a lighthouse. While traditional Qatari mosques were made of wood, mud, and coral rock, the Qatar Islamic Center was built with brick and mortar. This allowed for much higher domes and the replacement of traditional outdoor pools with running water and wash bins. The building features many Islamic design elements as well.
The Pearl Qatar
The Pearl Qatar is an artificial island built off the coast of Doha that spans almost four million square meters. The island is home to many residential towers including the Porto Arabia Towers, and the Viva Bahriya Towers. The Pearl is also home to a community modeled after Venice called the Qanat Quartier. This area of the island has extensive canal systems, beachfront townhouses, and many squares and plazas. When construction is completed, there will be more than 13 islands which will be home to apartments, luxury villas, high end restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment facilities. This project, which is estimated to cost $15 billion upon completion, is being completed by the United Development Company, a large architectural firm in Qatar.
RasGas Building
The RasGas Building is the headquarters of RasGas Company Limited, the second largest liquefied natural gas producing company in the world. The RasGas headquarters building is unique in that it was Qatar’s first green building and was LEED gold certified. In order to meet the certification, the building construction had to meet requirements in five different areas including sustainable site, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environment quality. Along with being LEED certified, the building features an interesting postmodern architectural design.
Tornado Tower
Tornado Tower is a 52 story high rise building located in Qatar. The building provides amazing views of the city of Doha and was constructed to meet international security and safety standards. The commercial building has been fire rated by the National Fire Protection Association and offers state of the art security systems in addition to a constant security presence. The building design incorporates column free, flexible floor plates, two pipe fan coil air conditioning systems, a helipad on the roof for emergency escapes, and separate electricity sub meters per floor. The exterior of the building uses LED lighting technology.
Aspire Zone Mosque
The Aspire Zone Mosque is located in Aspire Park, one of Qatar’s most beautiful landscapes. The park is one of the biggest in the whole Gulf region. Aspire Mosque was designed with architectural elements that express dynamic movements. The modern, comfortable mosque can accommodate approximately 850 people. The building is near Khalifa Stadium and incorporates design elements of other adjacent buildings, making all of the area’s building architectural styles similar.
There are numerous structures located around Qatar that feature interesting architectural building styles. The booming country is experiencing mass construction of skyscrapers, towers, and residential buildings. The country is unique in that it features tons of different architectural styles and more amazing structures are always being planned and constructed. If you are moving to Qatar, COREO can help you find an affordable place to purchase in one of these amazing buildings. Whether you are looking to buy or rent, we can assist. Many of our available rental properties are available online.