Dohaland to showcase modern Qatari architecture at world's largest real estate exhibition

Award-winning Musheireb to be centrepiece of company participation at MIPIM 2011

Doha, March 05, 2011 - Dohaland will exhibit at MIPIM for the first time, bringing its award-winning, flagship project, Musheireb, to the world's largest property fair. Over 17,000 professionals attend MIPIM, the world's premier real estate industry event, which this year runs from 8-10 March at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France. Over 1,700 companies are expected to exhibit and engage with other investors, developers and local authorities.

Dohaland's flagship project 'Musheireb' development has won two awards at the MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Awards, through one of its appointed architects, mossessian & partners. The 'Mixed Use' category and the 'Overall Winner' was awarded for the mixed use cluster of buildings around the Al Barahat Square, a new civic space in Phase 1B of Musheireb project.

"Musheireb's recognition through the MIPIM AR Future Projects Awards suggests that the world can take cues from our sustainable, culturally sensitive and environmentally responsible development, particularly in metropolitan areas. It also underscores Qatar's leadership in the field of sustainable urban regeneration. We look forward to sharing our knowledge with the development community at MIPIM," said Eng. Issa M. Al Mohannadi, CEO of Dohaland.

Musheireb is a pioneering development that will regenerate and revive the old commercial centre of Doha. The QR 20 billion (USD 5.5 billion; EUR 4.18 billion) scheme will transform a 31-hectare site at the centre of Qatar's capital city, recreating a way of living that is rooted in Qatari culture, attracting residents back to the city centre. Due for completion in 2016, the mixed-use scheme will see Dohaland construct over 100 buildings to offer residential, commercial office space, cultural and community facilities, whilst preserving key heritage buildings from the past. The entire scheme is targeting LEED Gold certification, with several buildings targeting LEED Platinum, making it the world's first sustainable downtown regeneration project.

At MIPIM, Dohaland will offer the visitors a peek into the future of Doha (Qatar's capital), its past and its present, as well as an understanding of the unique features that are part of traditional Qatari living. Artifacts, images, and interactive displays will help visitors understand the process, progression and origins of Musheireb's new architectural language.

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Musheireb Profile
Dohaland's flagship project Musheireb will regenerate and conserve the historical downtown of Doha. A QR 20 billion pioneering development, it will revive the old commercial heart of the city through a new architectural language that is based on community living, across a massive 31 hectare (76 acre) site.

The Musheireb project will blend traditional Qatari heritage and aesthetics with modern technology and will focus on sustainability and harmony with the environment. The idea behind the project is to bring people back to their roots, make Doha unique, and reignite the spirit of community and togetherness. It outlines the vision of Dohaland chairperson Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser to create built environments that represent the culture and aspirations of the people of Qatar.

The mixed-use development will contain over 100 buildings with a combination of commercial and residential properties, retail, cultural and entertainment areas. The first phase, referred to as the 'Diwan Amiri Quarter', currently under construction, features a combination of three major government buildings, along with heritage sites, museum, cultural forum, National Archive and an Eid Prayer Ground.

In developing the project, Dohaland partnered with industry leaders and experts who were given the task of aligning the ethos of the past with the latest in eco-friendly technology, to arrive at an architectural language that was relevant, truly Qatari, and enriching to the people of the city. This new language will be used to create buildings that will share the same design DNA and principles, reviving and leveraging local heritage and culture to create a unified architectural idiom. The touchstone phrase is 'rooted in the past and looking to the future'.

Sustainability is central to the Musheireb ethos, both in the conservation of resources and the inherent quality of design that will benefit generations to come, in line with the goal of achieving average LEED Gold Ratings (with several targeting LEED Platinum), making it the world's first sustainable downtown regeneration project. The entire project features sustainable design that consumes fewer resources, generates less waste, costs less to operate, and has a diminished carbon footprint.

Musheireb will feature several aspects and aesthetic values inspired by traditional Qatari architecture including proportion, simplicity, space, light, layering, ornament and response to climate, yet it will fully utilize state of the art modern sustainable technology.

The strategic objective of the Musheireb project is to reverse the pattern of development and growth of Doha in recent decades which has tended towards isolated land uses with a modernistic urban sprawl, heavy reliance on car transport and energy-hungry structures.

Ultimately, Musheireb will form an iconic landmark within the city of Doha - a district that is globally recognizable and provides a comfortable neighbourhood in which to live, work and thrive.

Project Size

31-hectares (76 acres)

Location

Mohamed Bin Jassim District - central Doha, bordered by:

Al Rayyan Road to the North;
Jassim Bin Mohamed Street to the East;
Musheireb Street to the South; and
Al Diwan Street (part of Ring Road A) to the West.

The Musheireb project site is immediately adjacent to the Amiri Diwan, Qatar's seat of government and ruler's palace. The site is also adjacent to the redeveloped Souk Waqif, a successful mixed-use scheme based on a traditional Qatari souk and the historical Al Koot Fort.

Master Plan and Land Uses

The Master Plan comprises five distinct phases. The first phase, referred to as the 'Diwan Amiri Quarter', currently under construction, features a combination of three major government buildings including the National Archive, along with heritage sites, a museum and an Eid Prayer Ground.

Subsequent phases include a 5-star Mandarin Oriental hotel (announced June-2010), along with three additional hotels, premier commercial office space, a multitude of residential types and a wide variety of retail shops and restaurants. There is also a significant community and arts focus, featuring a cultural forum, school, nurseries and mosques.

Typology

GFA (SqM)

GFA (SqFt)

Percentage

Commercial & Governmental Offices

280,000

3,014,000

36.9%

Retail

94,000

1,012,000

12.3%

Hotel

117,000

1,259,000

15.4%

Residential

222,000

2,390,000

29.2%

Community, Cultural, School, Mosques, Museum

47,000

506,000

6.3%

TOTAL

760,000

8,181,000

100%

Key Figures

Project Budget: QAR 20 billion (USD 5.5 billion; EUR 4.18 billion)
Project Timetable: Construction commenced in 2010, phased construction completion scheduled for 2012 through 2016.
Residential Units: Approximately 900 new residential units
Parking Spaces: 11,000
Total Buildings: 100+
Building Height Range: 3 to 30 stories
LEED Rating: Entire development is targeting LEED Gold, with several buildings targeting LEED Platinum