Q Life Magazine Q Magazine December 2018 | Page 11

Innovate & Inspire | What does this mean in practice? Al Kuwari says: ‘Msheireb Properties spent three years researching Qatari architecture and urban planning all over the world with the most respected experts in the industry, in order to realise an architectural language rooted in the best of the past that may be preserved for and by future generations. ‘The Qatari tradition is reflected by the design of buildings, materials used, lay-out and preserving the names of streets. And the Heritage Quarter will revive Doha’s historic district.’ The project brings alive the culture and traditions of Doha prior to the country’s rapid economic development. With the relocation of the Qatar Financial Centre, it will be the new financial hub and downtown, embracing business and community in equal measure. The area will have integrated smart technologies, super- fast connectivity, and state-of-the-art health and safety and environmental controls. Q atar is a nation built on age-old traditions. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Doha’s latest development, Msheireb Downtown Doha. It brings together the best of the past with modern innovative technologies and thinking, marking the re- emergence of Qatari heritage in the heart of the city. Ali Al Kuwari, Acting Chief Executive Officer at Msheireb Properties, explains the genesis of the project, located in the oldest part of the capital. ‘Msheireb Downtown Doha was born of a desire by the nation’s leadership to redefine the course of the city’s development and return to the cultural roots upon which Doha was founded,’ he says. ‘Msheireb is the world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project, reviving the old commercial district with a new architectural language which is modern yet inspired by traditional Qatari heritage and architecture.’ Transport links are key, including Doha’s metro. Business travelers are also catered for with options that include the Al Wadi Hotel MGallery Doha, Park Hyatt and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The new area is located in the heart of Doha, 20 minutes from the airport, and 15 minutes from the city centre, next to Souq Waqif and the Corniche. The development has been carefully planned to be low-impact environmentally. Al Kuwari says: ‘It is the first sustainable regeneration project of a downtown in the world, and all our buildings are characterised by their water and energy efficiency, leading us to be a very green and sustainable project. Once all of our buildings become operational, we expect that Msheireb Downtown Doha will be the most sustainable city district in the world.’ ‘That isn’t our only world-first. Not only is it the first smart city in Qatar, our research has confirmed that it is one of the smartest city districts in the world, 11