Qatar
Msheireb Properties to build novel art centre
Msheireb Properties to build novel art centre
Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation, is creating a new cultural quarter in Doha. The first of its kind in the Middle East, the cultural quarter is part of the QR20bn Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD) development. |
Located adjacent to Al-Baraha, the largest open-air square at the heart of the MDD, the Doha Cultural Forum will host a variety of cultural events, including arts and performances as well as educational programmes.
Spread over 18,996 sq m, it will also serve as a venue for public art exhibitions and lessons in dance, music and fine arts, attracting both local and international visitors to the heart of Doha.
“The Msheireb Downtown Doha project will blend traditional Qatari heritage and styling with the latest clean technology, focusing on sustainability and harmony with the environment. The aim of the project is to bring local people back to their roots to rediscover a sense of community and togetherness. The Cultural Forum will play an important role in this regard by serving as a creative community space,” said Abdulla Hassan al-Mehshadi, CEO of Msheireb Properties.
Located within Phase 1 of the project, The Cultural Forum, is surrounded by Al Baraha, and in close proximity to four heritage houses which are being restored and converted into museums. The master plan of the forum features retail components, which apart from retail units will have cafes and restaurants; an exhibition space with a gallery; cinema halls; theatre; and education amenities featuring academies with auditorium, event and teaching spaces, and a performing arts library.
The Cultural Forum comprises four interlinked blocks around a central atrium, with overhead shading providing a dappled light effect.
The construction is being undertaken with handcrafted techniques using locally available materials such as limestone to blend traditional Qatari heritage and aesthetics with modern technology and focus on sustainability and harmony with the environment.
The arrangement of the buildings is similar to a traditional Qatari home while the Forum’s central courtyard is intended to recreate the atmosphere of a souq. The facades are noticeable for their relative absence of windows, indicative of the cultural purposes of the building’s interiors.
Hand carved plaster screening, featuring traditional Qatari pattern of eight-point geometrical interlocking circles, will be used to control light to provide privacy in the Cultural Forum’s interior spaces.
|