DOHA: Qatar has unveiled plans for its sixth proposed 2022 FIFA World Cup venue - the Al Thumama Stadium – which the organisers said Sunday will be built in the shape of a ‘gahfiya’ headdress (Muslim skull cap).
Schematic impression of Al Thumama Stadium
The venue is one of at least eight air-conditioned stadiums Qatar is building along with a new port and metro system as part of a $200 billion infrastructure upgrade.
Construction work has already begun, with the stadium due to be completed in 2020. The main contractor is a joint-venture between Qatari company Al Jaber Engineering and Turkey’s Tekfen Construction.
The stadium is designed by Qatari architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah, chief architect of Arab Engineering Bureau. AEB is the oldest architectural and engineering firm in Qatar. Its portfolio includes the Embassy of Oman in Qatar.
Hassan Al Thawadi, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) secretary general, said: “We’ve always been very careful to combine the past with the future in our designs. The gahfiya is a continuation of that theme. It’s a blend of our heritage and culture, and a commitment to the future.”
Al Thumama Stadium will be built on pitches currently used by the Qatar Football Association. The Al Thumama district is located in Doha’s southern suburbs, 12km from Hamad International Airport.
The stadium will seat 40,000 fans in 2022, with the capacity reduced to 20,000 in legacy mode and the excess seats donated to a nation in need of sporting infrastructure.
Jaidah believes the stadium will symbolise Qatar’s emergence as a global sports hub.
“The design is a nod to the past, while offering an exciting glimpse into Qatar’s tomorrow,” he was quoted as saying by the official website of the World Cup organising committee. “In Qatari culture, the gahfiya forms an important part of every young boy’s pathway to adulthood.”
He added: “This rite of passage inspired my vision for the stadium’s design. It is an arena that symbolises Qatar’s youth and its emergence as a major player on the global sporting scene, ready to welcome the world in 2022.”
The stadium, which fans will access via dedicated bus services from a nearby metro stop, will feature state-of-the-art cooling technology and world-class accessibility facilities.
Post-tournament, it will house a range of amenities, including a boutique hotel and branch of Aspetar Sports Clinic. The stadium precinct will become a community hub featuring facilities for numerous sports, including handball, tennis and swimming, among others.
Engineer Hilal Al Kuwari, chairman of the SC’s technical delivery office, believes the design highlights the historical bonds that unite the Arab world.
“Given its rich cultural inspiration, this is another fantastic design that everyone in Qatar will be proud of,” said Al Kuwari.
“This design is a welcome reminder of the historical bonds that unite the Arab world as one people.”
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