The concept of placemaking has evolved as human interaction with the environment has changed over time, highlighted a panel discussion organised by Doha Design District Tuesday. The panel featured Sheikha Reem al-Thani, deputy CEO, Exhibitions, Public Art, and Rubaiya, Qatar Museums; Dr Hameda Yousef Janahi, assistant professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qatar University; and Dr Samie Kayani, sustainable urbanism specialist at Earthna, Qatar Foundation. The session was moderated by Abdulrahman al-Mana, city and regional planner at the Ministry of Municipality. The panellists said space is fundamentally physical, but it is through people’s interaction with and use of space that it becomes a place. “As designers, planners, and architects, we approach the design of public spaces. And perhaps, our role as cultural institutions and policymakers has played a role in transforming physical space into a place,” al-Mana said, setting the tone for the discussion. Sheikha Reem said placemaking has become something of a buzzword. “There are certain things that are planned for, but then there is also all the neighbourhoods that we originally had. We had the housing, and then we had to come back to that and create the green project around it, create a new market space, and so instead of it being something that was created originally, people just settled in and now it has become a live location and has a real need for it,” she explained. Dr Janahi said placemaking, as a practice, has deep roots in the Arab and Islamic traditions. She highlighted the relationship between the built environment and society, with cultural identity, resilience, heritage and people-centred urban development playing important roles. “The Islamic urban concept is very much layered and this allows for a very interesting experience in the way that different segments of society interact with. If we look at the way that all of the values, physical values, the design, philosophies we have in the traditional Arab-Islamic World, there are a lot of elements that deliver public spaces and create a place that is very, very interesting and fascinating to us,” she continued. Dr Kayani said understanding what constitutes a place today is increasingly important as people’s relationship with their surroundings continues to evolve. “It is really important to understand what we mean by place today because the way we understand and interact with the environment is changing over time. And that in itself is being reflected by the buildings and the artwork that we are seeing around us. So, it is an evolution of ideas,” he said. Al-Mana also highlighted traditional approaches to placemaking, noting how ancient urban design incorporated environmental considerations such as wind direction and shade. “The FIFA World Cup 2022 to me is one of the most interesting examples of a thriving public space in the world, particularly when we think about what happened during the event. There was a huge building, master-plan exercise that happened all across the country, whether it is in the central part of Doha to the north or any other part,” he said. However, despite the scale of development across the country, Souq Waqif emerged as a major magnet for tourists and visitors, he noted. “I think it is really interesting. Souq Waqif has been rebuilt to look like its original shape, but it continuously existed as a marketplace for over centuries. So the Souq, to me, is very much a champion,” he added.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
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