Arup Associates, the architecture and engineering firm selected to build Qatar’s
2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar Showcase, was recently
nominated for World Architecture News’ 2012 Engineering Award. The 500-seat model stadium, a test bed for the sustainable architecture and design that
Qatar promised for the
World Cup 10 years from now, is the central showpiece for Qatar’s pledge to host this mega sporting event despite the
skepticism that still confronts Qatar daily.
“The Showcase” has three major points: first, architecture that captures elements of traditional
Arabian architecture and turns such passive design into modern and cutting-edge architecture. Next, solar promises to convert Qatar’s abundant sun into energy. Finally, air conditioning, also fueled by the sun, promises to cool players and spectators in a harsh environment that can reach 50C in the summer.
Having such an event like the World Cup in the Middle East sends a signal that the rest of the world is ready to engage this often misunderstood region. But the decision to hold the World Cup in Doha and its environs is also an opportunity to push the boundaries of sustainable design while maintaining
environmental stewardship. Now it is up to Qataris to demonstrate that their hosting of the World Cup was a choice marked by
forward thinking, not folly.
Photo courtesy
Arup Associates.
About The Author
Leon Kaye
Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division,
GGP Media.
Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event.
His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He writes for San Francisco-based
Triple Pundit,
Inhabitat and now
The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's
Architect Magazine.
Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
Arup Associates, the architecture and engineering firm selected to build Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar Showcase, was recently nominated for World Architecture News’ 2012 Engineering Award. The 500-seat model stadium, a test bed for the sustainable architecture and design that Qatar promised for the World Cup 10 years from now, is the central showpiece for Qatar’s pledge to host this mega sporting event despite the skepticism that still confronts Qatar daily.
“The Showcase” has three major points: first, architecture that captures elements of traditional Arabian architecture and turns such passive design into modern and cutting-edge architecture. Next, solar promises to convert Qatar’s abundant sun into energy. Finally, air conditioning, also fueled by the sun, promises to cool players and spectators in a harsh environment that can reach 50C in the summer.
Having such an event like the World Cup in the Middle East sends a signal that the rest of the world is ready to engage this often misunderstood region. But the decision to hold the World Cup in Doha and its environs is also an opportunity to push the boundaries of sustainable design while maintaining environmental stewardship. Now it is up to Qataris to demonstrate that their hosting of the World Cup was a choice marked by forward thinking, not folly.
Photo courtesy Arup Associates.
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