ENERGY CITY
Part of the Lusail project (see below), Energy City will take over an area of three square kilometres and will be a signature project that puts top international oil companies together with Qatari hydrocarbon authorities. Microsoft’s Bill Gates has already backed this project, a state-of-the-art complex for companies with smart buildings as their standard.
AL KHOR AREA (NORTH OF DOHA)
Al Khor is only 35 km north of Doha. It is becoming the next city in the State of Qatar after the capital, with major development plans, as several educational facilities (initially operating out of temporary refurbished buildings) are working on opening campuses in the area. One prime example is the Qatar Foundation, which opened a second Qatar Academy school in September 2008. It has also been reported that two Indian schools will be opening in the area.
Al Khor is heavily focused on by the Urban Planning Development Authority. Early in 2008 it was reported that a multi-million dollar project was being worked on in Al Khor, which led the real estate market in the area to jump. Major real estate company Barwa is working on the Al Khor Resort project, that is worth an estimated QR 5 billion. It is a tourist and residential community with full freehold properties, all with beachfront access, and an 18-hole golf course. This will be completed over a phased five-year period. Al Khor also hosts many service companies from the oil industry.
LABOURERS’ CITY
In a move to improve the image of human rights in the Gulf and the living conditions of workers by rights groups, Qatar is working on building a labourers’ city on the outskirts of Doha, due to be completed by 2010. This project is being managed by Barwa and four other Qatari real estate companies, and is worth an estimated USD 1.1 billion.
The City is to house approximately 50,000 people. It will include playgrounds, cinemas, mosques, health facilities, a sports centre, a motel, and police and fire stations. The City will have 64 four-storey buildings, each with approximately 130 rooms that will host six workers each.
LUSAIL
Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company is the real estate arm of Qatar Investment Authority, and they are behind the flagship development named Lusail and located in the north end of Doha, covering an area of 36 square km.
The Lusail project is being built on existing land and will house 175,000 people by 2015. The development has an entertainment area called Tarfeeh City (see p. 25), two golf courses, a waterfront area, a business district, a marina district and an Energy City (see above), in addition to signature towers, commercial districts, mixed-use buildings (Fox Hills) and villas.
Qatari Diar owns 45 per cent of Barwa, the Qatari construction company that is building 4,500 homes for low-income families. The government has leased the land to Barwa at a very low price with the promise that they rent the homes they build on it at a minimum rate to help those who have modest incomes. Qatari Diar also has international interests: it has projects in Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Mauritius, London, Morocco, Oman, Cuba, Yemen, Libya and Thailand, just to name a few. These interests show Qatar as having bilateral relations with different countries around the world. In October 2008, Qatari Diar acquired a 22.7 per cent stake in the French luxury hotel group Société Fermière du Casino Municipal de Cannes (SFCMC).
NEW DOHA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (NDIA)
The New Doha International Airport (NDIA) is one of the most anticipated airports globally as it will be the first airport in the world designed and built specifically for the Airbus 380-800 (the double-decker super airplane that is the largest aircraft in the world, holding up to 550 passengers).
NDIA will be opening in different phases, with the initial opening slotted for 2010 to cater for approximately 24 million passengers annually. The project is planned to be fully completed by 2015 and will be catering for 50 million passengers with 80 gates and 2 million tonnes of cargo annually. The project has been carefully planned and worked on for several years as 60 per cent of the airport site is built on reclaimed land.
Built near the water in the shape of a wave, the airport also boasts a free trade zone, a Business Park, two hotels and a mosque of 1.9 square km, as well as retail areas, lounges and parking.
NEW DOHA PORT
The construction of this major port will be done in three phases, with 2025 as the anticipated final completion date. USD 5 billion have been allocated for the first phase of this commercial deep sea port to be created between Doha and Mesaieed. A major trading sea hub in the Gulf, the port will span an area of 20 square km.
THE PEARL
This man-made island covers approximately 4 million square metres and was created following strict environmental impact assessments. The entire real estate development lies on reclaimed land, 350 metres off the shores of the West Bay area in Doha. The Island is named after the former pearl diving area in which it is located.
The Pearl will be fully completed by 2011 and will house over 41,000 residents. It is the first international real estate property to be created in the State of Qatar. When finished, it will cost over USD 20 billion. It will have more than 600 square km of high-end retail, leisure and restaurant facilities. In the first phase of the project, Porto Arabia will be home to the Four Seasons hotel. There is also a 1,000 berth yacht facility.
The Pearl recently won the “Best International Marina Award” at the CNBC ceremony in Las Vegas.
One of the smartest islands in the world, the Pearl is the first project in Qatar to adopt the Envac waste disposal system: no traditional refuse collection areas are needed, thus reducing waste transport, improving hygienical conditions, and health and safety standards.
The Pearl offers investment opportunities, providing anyone who purchases real estate on the island full residency rights, 100% freehold and lucrative payment schedules.
QATAR–BAHRAIN CAUSEWAY
A 40-km causeway is to begin construction in May 2009 at a cost of approximately USD 2 billion. A memorandum of understanding is in effect with Qatar Bahrain Causeway Foundation (QBCF), Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment and Vinci Construction (France). The construction completion is anticipated to be in 2011. The causeway will be both a road and a rail connection.
QATAR MEDIA CITY
Qatar Media City is a joint venture project between Al Jazeera Satellite Channel, Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company and Qatar Media Services. Al Jazeera would be the majority shareholder with 50 per cent stakes, and Qatari Diar and Qatar Media would hold 25 per cent stakes each. It is anticipated to host approximately 25,000 people and will be located in the new Qatari Diar showcase project named Lusail (see p. 20).
QATAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARK (QSTP)
A joint venture between Qatar Foundation and Imperial College London, QSTP is a world-class research facility that is currently under construction at Education City (see p. 19).
It will offer offices and laboratories designed for technology-based companies, and will host international companies such as EADS, Shell, Microsoft, GE and Total. It aims at promoting applied research, technology development and commercialization, and it will attract international research-led companies to establish technology development activities within Qatar.
A robotic surgery centre is also a focus of the facility, as it is planned to develop a centre for training and simulation that allows the use of robots in performing surgery in the Middle East.
QSTP will occupy 120 hectares of the total 1,600 hectares of Education City.
The first phase of this project opened late 2008 and has a technology centre and two innovation and technology transfer centres. A Tier IV National Data Centre (the highest grade for a data centre that features security, disaster recovery, and network redundancy) will be set up later in 2009 and will be the first of its kind outside of the United States.
Currently, Qatar Petroleum (QP) has the largest budget among the tenants at QSTP; they will be undertaking research and development activities in order to boost the hydrocarbon sector, with a focus on carbonate reservoirs.
Additionally, in the spring of 2008, Shell officially announced that it would be investing over USD 100 million, over the next ten years, towards its state-of-the-art research centre at QSTP. Their research activities would be linked to the major energy global programmes with a specific focus on Qatar. Shell’s mission is to implement a world-class research and education centre in Qatar and to manage to contribute to the development of the technologies within the energy sector.
AL RAYYAN PARK
Still in its proposal stages, this project has been undertaken by Ashghal, the Department of Public Works. The proposal is to create a 20-hectare park that is equal in size to 20 football pitches. It is being called the “Hyde Park of Qatar” and would have a jogging area, playgrounds, a mosque, an amphitheatre, and parking and staff accommodation.
SOTHEBY’S QATAR
In October 2008, Sotheby’s announced that it will officially open a Doha office by the end of the year, and hold their first major international series of auctions in the city in 2009. This is a major step towards Qatar being recognized as an international hub for culture and art.
STATE MOSQUE OF QATAR (AL KHUWAIR)
Currently under construction, the mosque is planned to be a landmark building in Doha with a domed roof structure following Islamic architectural elements. It will be three-storeys high and will have a total area of 19.5 square km. It will accommodate approximately 10,000 worshippers. It is the first state-funded project that uses an underground electrical substation.
TARFEEH CITY
Also known as Entertainment City, Tarfeeh City is located in the Lusail development (see p. 20). When completed, the city will have a value of USD 3 billion on 1,000 square km of waterfront property.
It will provide complete entertainment for all, ranging from a 4D theatre to virtual skiing, a snow dome, a water park with a rainforest and an aquarium. Families can also choose to live in the area, as there will be apartments and luxury villas, as well as a vast selection of retail areas and souks.
Tarfeeh comprises of five districts: Downtown, Boardwalk, North Shore, South Shore and Villas. Areas are linked with canals and water taxis in addition to climate-controlled pedestrian walkways.
AL WAAB CITY
Al Waab City is one of the largest privately-owned real estate projects currently being developed in the State of Qatar: it is worth USD 3.2 billion and is located along Doha’s main artery road, Salwa Road. It is in close proximity to some of Doha’s major academic institutions and sporting facilities. The project is expected to be completed in 2010.
Al Waab City project has a variety of housing styles and options, as well as retail, office and health facilities, and a world-class luxury hotel surrounding the 44-square-km stunning urban piazza called Barahat Al Waab. It will be home to more than 8,000 people in over 2,000 residential units occupying an area of approximately 1.25 million square metres, and will boast all the latest smart-city capabilities.
“Al Waab” is derived from the Arabic word for a spacious plot of land. Using this as an inspiration, over a fifth of the project will be devoted to extensive lush green landscaping, park areas, walking paths, water features, and children’s areas. The City will be providing a clean and safe environment, and the project includes allocating over 10,700 parking spaces throughout the development.
AL WAKRA AREA (SOUTH OF DOHA)
One of the main master plans is to re-develop the Al Wakra area, historically a main pearl-trading town said to have had a fleet of 150 pearl diving boats/dhows from the early 20th century up to the 1940s.
The plans are to highlight several elements that would combine commercial and mixed-use areas: Wakra Gateway, exclusively a government offices area; Wakra South Square; Wakra Sands; Wakra Residence; Wakra College; Wakra Trade Centre; and Wakra Festival Bay, which will host hotels, the maritime museum, and an arts and cultural centre.
Some of the existing architectural structures of this heritage village, such as the museum and the forts, will be enhanced.
The exceptional maritime museum will show a display of marine life during pre-oil times. The Wakra Museum is presently closed as this multimillion-dollar project will take some time to develop.
WEST BAY CAR PARK
Under construction in the West Bay area, it will comprise of a six-storey building that will accommodate 1,011 vehicles. This building is anticipated to be completed by December 2009 and is being built to offer extra parking spaces in the West Bay area of Doha, that has recently boomed, thus becoming a high traffic area.