Qatar 2022, the organisation bidding to bring the FIFA World Cup to the Middle East for the first time, has unveiled 11 of the 12 stadiums it plans to use if awarded the right to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The stadiums, costing around $4 billion, were unveiled to FIFA’s Inspection Team as part of its three -day visit to Qatar, and include three existing venues which would be expanded and nine new, state-of-the-art stadiums with capacities of at least 43,000.
Using sustainable technologies and groundbreaking cooling systems for stadiums, training sites, FIFA Fan Fest /Zones and walkways from metro stations to venues, Qatar promises to be the first carbon neutral World Cup. Fans, players and officials will be able to enjoy cool and comfortable open-air conditions, not exceeding 27 degrees Celsius.
To avoid the consequences of `white elephant stadia` and to share a legacy with the developing world, the stadiums will be designed with modular components and after the tournament 170,000 seats will be donated to countries from the developing world, creating a lasting FIFA football legacy.
Qatar 2022 would be the most compact World Cup ever. This will mean significantly less travel time for fans, players and the media. Supporters will be able watch more than one game per day and stay in the same hotel or accommodation throughout the tournament, saving time and money.
Qatar 2022’s brand new, state-of-the-art stadiums include:
· Sports City Stadium: a 47,500 capacity stadium inspired by Arabian tent architecture that will retain its full capacity after 2022
· Doha Port Stadium: a 45,000 capacity fully modular stadium, taking its design cues from a floating water lily, to be built in Doha bay and is accessible by water taxi
· Al-Shamal Stadium: a 45,000 capacity stadium designed to replicate the traditional Dhow fishing boat, to be built in northern Qatar on the water’s edge; legacy capacity 25,500
· Al-Khor Stadium: a 45,000 capacity stadium designed in the shape of a seashell and set in a park setting. Some fans will be able to see the Arabian sea from their seats; legacy capacity 25,500
· Umm Slal Stadium: a 45,000 capacity stadium tacking its design cues from a traditional Arabian fort; legacy capacity 25,500
· Al-Wakrah Stadium: a 45,000 capacity stadium built within a recreational oasis including themed swimming pool, spa zones and parkland; legacy capacity 25,500
· Education City Stadium: a 45,000 capacity stadium located in a landscaped oasis which will become a 25,000 seat track and field stadium in legacy mode
· Qatar University Stadium: a 43,500 capacity stadium which will become a duel use 23,500 venue in legacy mode to accommodate both track and field and football
Qatar’s existing stadiums are:
· Al-Rayyan and Al-Gharafa Stadiums: current capacities of 21,000 to be expanded to around 45,000; legacy capacity 21,000. Al-Rayan will have a media facade wrapped around its entire exterior allowing FIFA partners to run commercials. Al-Gharafa will have the colours of the 32 competing teams embedded in its outer exterior
· Khalifa Stadium: current capacity of around 50,000, to be expanded to 68,000
Qatar 2022 FIFA Showcase
The Showcase will play a pivotal part in the demonstration of a sustainable future for Qatar. The FIFA delegation, who are visiting Doha this summer, are expecting to see radical design and low environmental impact solutions to create comfortable conditions for playing football outside in the Qatari climate.
There are three ways in which the Showcase will exemplify sustainable design;
1 A sustainable energy infrastructure which delivers a zero-carbon project*
2 Targeting a high LEED rating
3 Exemplar of sustainable environments in a building that can be located anywhere in a similar climate
* This means that the zero carbon energy infrastructure harnesses sufficient energy directly from the sun to provide lighting, heating and power to entirely offset the use of energy by the Showcase over a full 12 month period. To do this, solar energy on match days is captured during the day and converted to cooling, then stored for use during the match. Electrical energy is created from solar energy, and will be exported to the grid and re-imported when the Showcase demands.
Sustainable Design
The sustainable energy infrastructure is a cutting edge design, bringing together pioneering technologies for the first time.
Sustainability is a broad subject, covering environmental, economic and social issues. For the Showcase, we have focused on the issues of comfort, environmental impact and energy. These issues are understood to be at the forefront of FIFA’s mind in considering Qatar as a host nation.
In developing the design for energy, the team has considered a strong hierarchy;
1 Energy consumption has been minimized by passive means
2 Efficient systems design to maximize free-cooling over the year
3 Energy recovery systems have been used
4 Zero-carbon energy infrastructure to supply the Showcase
The Showcase will have a unique position amongst all the projects for the Qatar 2022 bid to deliver a sustainable future for Qatar.
First Published in Men's Passion Issue #25 October 2010
