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| One of the heritage houses inside the Msheireb downtown project |
A team, headed by company architects and leading local and international experts, is working to oversee the restoration and preservation of the properties dating from the first decade of the last century.
The four houses that will be restored and turned into museums are the Jalmoud House, Company House, Mohamed Bin Jassim House and Al Radwani House.
In addition, a fifth heritage house is being dismantled to be reconstructed on another location within the Heritage Quarter.
Located next to the Msheireb’s Cultural Forum, the transformed Heritage Quarter will be a landmark project for the development that also complements and links the new downtown with Souk Waqif, one of the oldest souks in Doha and other cultural facilities within the Msheireb downtown project.
Issa M al-Mohannadi, CEO, Msheireb Properties, said the restoration of the houses would conserve “some of the last remaining traditional and historic buildings in the city centre”.
“Msheireb Properties looks to the past to build a better future. That is why it is vital to preserve these houses, which offer rare glimpses into our history,” he stated.
Msheireb Downtown Doha project aims to revive the old commercial heart of the city through a new architectural language based on community living.
The first phase is due for completion in 2012 Q4 and the last phase in 2016.
Msheireb means ‘a place to drink water’ in Arabic. Construction started 18 months ago at the mixed-use development site adjacent to the Emiri Diwan, the redeveloped Souk Waqif and the historical Al Koot Fort.
Featuring more than 100 buildings, with a combination of commercial and residential properties, retail, cultural and entertainment areas, the project will blend traditional Qatari heritage and aesthetics with modern technology and focus on sustainability and harmony with the environment.
About 900 residential units, including nearly 30 standalone villas, meant for Qataris and expatriates are among the highlights of the project targeting Gold rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system of the US Green Building Council, with several buildings aiming for a platinum rating.
As many as 5,000 workers are presently engaged in construction round-the-clock, six days a week and their number is expected to reach 20,000 within a year.
The first phase (Phase 1A) consists of the Emiri Diwan Quarter, which in turn comprises the Diwan Annex, Emiri Guard building, the Qatar National Archive and four heritage houses.
Located in the Mohamed Bin Jassim district (central Doha), the Msheireb project is bordered by Al Rayyan Road to the north, Jassim Bin Mohamed Street to the east, Msheireb Street to the south and Al Diwan Street (part of A Ring Road) to the west.