Katara teams up with Aspire Katara Investment to take part in MIPIM

Doha, Qatar, March 11, 2013

Katara, the Cultural Village in collaboration with Aspire Katara Investment (AKI) today announced the partnership with EON Reality, the world's leading interactive 3D software provider. Katara will use the unique ICube mobile solution at the world's leading property market event at MIPIM in Cannes, March 12-15 to reveal the next phase of the Cultural Village.  

AKI (Aspire Katara Investment) and Katara Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar, will be using the immersive and 3D interactive EON ICube mobile system to offer event visitors an unprecedented way of virtually walking through and experience the existing Katara site and to reveal new aspects of the development. The complete development site will include both commercial and private properties, and a large area of cultural facilities such as theatres, concert halls, and exhibition galleries.

Khalid Bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, General Manager, Katara commented: "We are thrilled to collaborate with AKI to use the EON ICube mobile system at the world's leading event MIPIM. This high tech interactive 3D solution allows our future customers, partners and investors to visit Katara, the Cultural Village virtually and experience it in its entirety.

"We are proud to unveil the new aspects of this exciting development which include residential, commercial and retail units. Katara has quickly become the metropolis for arts and culture in the GCC and we look forward to seeing visitors enjoy our other facilities," he added.

This marks the first time that the unique EON ICube mobile system is used for a large property market event. The system will offer visitors the ability to virtually visit the area, interactively in a 3D platform, and walk through existing and new developments including both exteriors and interiors. This offers a unique way of experiencing property development projects months and years before completion, enabling crucial planning and investment decisions to be made in a more informed way.

In 2008, Katara, the Cultural Village opened phase one of the development in 2008, which consists of an Opera House, Drama Theatre, open air Amphitheatre, several Art Galleries, restaurants and cafes. The next phases will include a commercial complex, residential villas, hotels, and several other retail and hospitality facilities. The development is expected to be fully operational and complete by 2018.

MIPIM, the world's property market, brings together the most influential players from all international property sectors - office, residential, retail, healthcare, sport, logistics and industrial - offering unrivalled access to the greatest number of development projects and sources of capital worldwide.

-Ends- 

About MIPIM
MIPIM, the world's property market, is held annually and brings together the most influential players from all international property sectors - office, residential, retail, healthcare, sport, logistics and industrial - offering unrivalled access to the greatest number of development projects and sources of capital worldwide. MIPIM is not only an indicator of global market trends, but also an international marketplace creating dialogue between a variety of real estate professionals, generating new ideas and sealing contracts and partnerships. MIPIM will show presentations from hundreds of ambitious real-estate projects from around the world in an exhibition covering 20,000 m2.  For further information, visit www.mipim.com.

About EON Reality
EON Reality, Inc. is the world's leading interactive 3D visual content management and Virtual Reality software provider. EON Reality provides state-of-the-art 3D display technology for immersive and stereoscopic viewing, from portable tablet PCs and glass free stereo display systems to curved-screen and immersive rooms consisting of multi-channel projection walls. The technology foundation for developing interactive digital content includes importing the most common 3D animation formats into EON's authoring software and creating modules and applications that can be viewed on various display systems. EON's technology solutions enable all organizations to more effectively visually communicate, collaborate and accelerate knowledge transfer. 

Industry leaders, including Atlas Copco, Bechtel, Boeing, Bombardier, Hon, Intel, Lexus, Lufthansa -Teknik, Lowell Manufacturing, Peterbilt, Samsung, Siemens Medical, Suzuki, Tobyhanna Army Depot, Toyota and Whirlpool use EON solutions to enhance the interactive user experience to effectively increase sales, better communicate product functionality and decrease the cost of service, training and technical support. Some educational institutions who have adopted EON's technology solutions include: the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (located on the campus of the Florence-Darlington Technical College), Old Dominion University, Marquette University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Discovery World Museum, Oklahoma City Community College, Concord University, North Dakota State University, Texas State Technical College - Waco, El Paso Community College, University of Alabama, Hazard Community and Technical College, University of Hawaii, Lansing Community College, University of Kentucky, Maysville Community and Technical College, Miami University, Red Rocks Community College. For further information, visit www.eonreality.com.

About AKI
Aspire Katara Investment Company (AKI) is a Qatari closed shareholding company, registered under the ‎commercial law of Qatar.‎ AKI is owned 50% by Aspire Zone Foundation and 50% by The Cultural Village Foundation (Katara)

AKI solely and/or through its subsidiaries manages and operates all the non-core related real estate assets and ‎businesses of both the Foundations, in a commercially viable and efficient manner. ‎

About Katara Cultural Village
Situated on the eastern coast of Doha, Katara - The Cultural Village is an integrated cultural landmark which possesses the character of a historic and inspirational breeding ground for arts and culture in Qatar.

The village is built on 1,000,000 square meters, its interconnecting pathways and creatively placed buildings constructed to resemble Al Fareej, an ancient Qatari alley.

Attractions offered by Katara - The Cultural Village include an open amphitheatre, an opera house, a cinema which can double as a drama theatre, a multi-purpose hall, handicrafts souq, book stall, and beach, in addition to a rich variety of international cuisine.

Several locally based NGOs, including Algannas Society, Childhood Cultural Center, Qatar Fine Arts Society, Qatar Photographic Society, Qatar Society for Engineers, and Visual Art Center, currently operate in Katara - The Cultural Village.

By hosting entertaining and informative festivals, exhibitions, forums, and other cultural events, Katara - The Cultural Village accentuates Doha's globally recognized position as the capital of Arab culture.

The Cultural Village (Katara) is a mixed-use development with varied land uses - residential, commercial, institutional & recreational. The development has exceptional facilities and the infrastructure of a modern city in itself. Located very close to The Pearl Qatar Development, The Cultural Village is targeting to be the most desirable destination for tourists, commercial spaces and residential developments. For more details, please visit us on: www.Katara.net

For media enquiries, please contact:
Rabia Zaman
Hill+Knowlton Strategie
rabia.zaman@hkstrategies.com 
+974 4441 4781

© Press Release 2013