Georgetown opens QR600mn building

HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser attending the Georgetown Building Celebration. Also attending were HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Emiri Diwan, HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad al-Thani and HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani. PICTURE: Khalid al-Maslamani

The Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) yesterday officially inaugurated its new multi-million riyal state-of-the-art building at the Education City.
The opening event was attended by Qatar Foundation chairperson HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who toured the QR600mn facility prior to the official inauguration alongside the Deputy Prime Minister and Emiri Diwan Chairman HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah as well as other distinguished guests. 

A view of the new building of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar, which was opened yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil

The new building is the realisation of Qatar Foundation and Georgetown’s shared vision of education as QF provides the teaching and learning facility to Georgetown University Qatar so that the university can deliver its world-class programmes in a state-of-the-art setting.
Designed by renowned Mexican architects Legorreta+Legorreta, the team worked closely with Georgetown and QF to create a space that would maximise student learning.

HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser being given a tour of the Georgetown Library by Library Director, Frieda Wiede. The library contains 60,000 volumes and is the largest public collection in the country. PICTURE: Maher Attar

The new building covering an area of 360,000sq ft (40,000sq m) features a three-storey high atrium, an auditorium with a seating capacity for 350 people, and 14 classroom and lecture halls that will provide students with an inviting and functional space for learning and activities. 
It also has an ample outdoor space and courtyards allowing natural light to penetrate into the building’s interior.
A special architectural feature includes the columns along the building’s entrance, which are inscribed with poetry that reflects Georgetown’s commitment to knowledge, inquiry, diversity and dialogue. 
The new extensive library and a collection of water features inside and outside the building also add to the character and a sense of openness to the new building.
Speaking at the opening, the Georgetown University president John DeGioia said that the achievement of the building was part of the legacy left behind by the founders of the school more than 200 years ago while stating that the campus was designed in a way perfectly suited to provide the best skills for the students.
"This building will create a synergy between Qatar and the US as well as many countries being represented in our student body. It also symbolises the beginning of journey of hope that will be full of adventure and knowledge,” he said.

HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser speaking to Georgetown students on the main campus through video conferencing facilities during a tour of the new Georgetown building in Doha. With her is John J. DeGioia, President of Georgetown University, and Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, Vice President for Education, Qatar Foundation. PICTURE: Khalid al-Maslamani

Other speakers at the building launch included QF vice president for Education Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, Qatar 2022 Bid Committee chairman Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani and HE Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah.
Sheikh Mohamed al-Thani shared with the audience his experience as a student of SFS-Q and his perspectives as well as impression about the new building.
Earlier at a press conference, speaking about the construction of the building whose idea was conceived in 2006, the Qatar Foundation Capital Projects and Facilities Division vice president Saad al-Muhannadi said that though the green building concept started in 2008, the SFS-Q buildings have been designed based on green building council’s specifications and hopefully to meet green building certification within the next two years.
He mentioned that the construction of the campus, which took over 25 months constituting around 8.6mn man-hours contributed by some 2,300 manpower, did not record a single accident or incidence throughout.
Also Edmund A Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University dean Carol Lancaster mentioned that the Qatar campus will remain the institution’s only branch campus outside of the US for a long time to come.
Ibrahim al-Derbasti, SFS-Qatar Class of 2010, summed up the pride of both alumni and the current student body of SFS-Q:  "We thank Her Highness for the opportunity to study at Georgetown in Education City.  We represent a mix of nationalities, majors and post-graduate career paths.  I think all of us here would agree that our time at Georgetown has opened many doors for us already, and we are very excited about Georgetown’s new home in Education City.”
Highlights of the inauguration ceremony were a presentation of an artist-proof sculpture to HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser as well as the presentation of the dean’s medal to Engr al-Muhannadi for achieving the project with incidence loss.