AN ESTIMATED $800-million mixed-use project proposed for the ambitious Lusail development in Qatar is expected to break ground by the end of this year.

The 70,000-sq-m waterfront being developed by Diyar Al Kuwait is being designed by Kuwait-headquartered KEO International Consultants, which has drawn inspiration from traditional courtyard planning and has fashioned the facades as a response to the environmental conditions.
Consisting of 640 residential units, the development will provide 130,000 sq m of office space and 30,000 sq m of retail space. Elaborating on the design concept, KEO design director Raj Patel says: “The facades of the different components are inspired by the traditional mashrabiya designs and deal with transformation of patterns, protection from the sun’s rays, and privacy.

“The office building will feature facades that are patterned using various sizes of stone and glass, while the retail mall will have skylights and entrance volumes wrapped in a random lace-like pattern to create shadows that mimic the quality of light found in traditional suqs.
“The residential buildings will wear an array of stone, metal and glass to provide maximum views of the water from the units within.”
The three office towers are situated along the northern part of the site and step from 25 storeys at the northeastern corner to 29 storeys at the northwestern edge.
Elevated sky gardens are strategically located to offer tenants of each tower a connection with nature and to break up the mass of the building.
The retail mall along the northern portion of the site sprawls from the west to the east, intricately connecting the office tower lobbies with several ceremonial drop-off courts to the office buildings and retail mall.
The residential buildings are situated along the eastern and southern portions of the site, providing excellent views of the water. These buildings float above four-bedroom townhouse units, which are located on the podium level.