A flower is sprouted in the Qatar’s desert: the Doha Media City
in ARCHITETTURA | architecture
ARCOMAI pubblica l’articolo dal titolo A flower is sprouted in the Qatar’s desert: the Doha Media City. scritto per il numero 3 della rivista internazionale Compasses . Ringraziamo la redazione de Compasses per la collaborazione.
© AEDAS l Doha Media City, design scheme.
As part of a new city quarter master planned by Aedas Architects in partnership with Arup, Doha Media City has been designed as a new sustainable contained city. The urban morphology remained the flower’s shape. Therefore the city is divided in a central body surrounded by segments (petals) that each one correspond to a community organised in three zones: a central area organised by low/mid dense apartments integrated by commercial services; another residential belt of houses with shared courtyard; and the Media Zone where are be concentrated public facilities as: an event Plaza, an Art Gallery, a Herb & Spice Garden, a Music & Literature Library and a Media Square with digital artwork and TV broadcast from around the world.
Heart of the flower is a green zone that, penetrating into each single urban development, gives continuity to the community space. Such area is characterised by an iconic building that strengthens the centrality of the urban system. The city is circumscribed by a “sustainable crown” planned by an integrated system of photovoltaic and solar-thermal panels together with wind turbines. A City farm will produce fresh organic produce for local residence and will recycled waste treatment plant, so that the city will be entirely self-sustaining.
Rooted in a carbon neutral ambition, the city itself is a car free. The compact network of streets encourages walking and is complemented by a personalised rapid transport system. The shaded walkways and narrow streets will create a pedestrian-friendly environment in the context of Qatar extreme climate. Borrowing from the indigenous architectural heritage, the design is a small scale, compact and organic. It is inherently sustainable through passive means, such as natural ventilation, careful orientation to minimise direct sunlight and maximise ventilation. The structure planning incorporates three levels of public transport (mono-rail, tram and buses). Due to the excellent public transport network, it is easy to commute to the adjacent communities. Doha Media City is directly connected with Doha City and its International Airport.
© AEDAS l Media square with digital artwork + TV broadcast from around the world.Lakeside Broadwalk – a place for relaxation and creativity.