Two leisure projects designed by Zaha Hadid Architects as part of a masterplan for Lusail City in Qatar have gone into development, it has been announced.
The first scheme is a 70,000sq m (753,500sq ft) hotel with residential apartments located in Lusail City’s Marina District. Set to be completed by 2020, the 38-storey project has been inspired by the structure of the Desert Hyacinth; a flowering plant native to the landscapes and coastlines of the Arabian Gulf.
The building’s podium will have a nine-pointed form surrounded by a central core defined by the “interwoven fluid geometries” of the hyacinth. A filigreed mashrabiya façade will be added to reduce solar gain. ZHA will work with Arup Engineering and environmental design consultants Atelier Ten to make the building as environmentally-friendly as possible.
In a statement, ZHA said that the design reflects the fluidity embedded within the region’s architectural heritage and traditions. “Continuous calligraphic and geometric patterns flow from domes to ceilings, ceilings to walls, walls to floors, establishing seamless relationships and blurring distinctions between architectural elements,” they commented.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, chair of project developer Al Alfia Holding, said: “With truly inspirational public spaces and atrium, 120 unique residences and 200 hotel rooms with Zaha Hadid’s unmistakable signature, we celebrate her remarkable legacy and continue Lusail City’s commitment to creating the region’s most sustainable, interconnected community.”
Little has been revealed about ZHA’s second design for Al Alfia, except that it “will be built within the on-going plan for future development of the city.”
Lusail City was commissioned in 2013. The 38sq km site will be Qatar’s first purpose-built sustainable city and is expected to house 200,000 residents. Every year, 80,000 are projected to visit the city’s entertainment, sport, recreation, retail and hospitality facilities.
ZHA are working on several projects in Qatar,
including the Al Wakrah Stadium for the 2022 World Cup.
