Architectural marvels at the Qatar World Cup
Some of the most renowned architects in the world contributed to the designs of these stadiums in Qatar, and incorporated creative solutions and state-of-the-art technologies
As the host nation of the FIFA 2022 World Cup, Qatar has been the centre of attention of late. The construction of remarkable stadiums, cultural buildings, and hotels in the country's capital city, Doha, has captivated the world.
Some of the most renowned architects in the world, Dar Al-Handasah, late Zaha Hadid, Foster + Partners, Ibrahim Jaidah, and Fenwick Iribarren, contributed to the designs of these stadiums.
Creative solutions and state-of-the-art technologies are incorporated into the stadiums such as using 974 shipping containers that make up a sizable chunk of a brand-new stadium, building shade-offering structures, and retractable roofs, and employing cooling technology.
Retractable roofs
Retractable roofs are useful in cases of extreme weather, but the Qatar stadiums don't feature them for that reason. The roof aids the cooling process, which means that the water and energy requirements for the air conditioning systems won't be overextended.
During the planning stage, the black roof of Al Bayt Stadium was changed to white in order to reduce heat absorption and increase energy efficiency.
The roof weighs around 1,600 tonnes when fully assembled, which is nearly 380 medium-sized motor cars. At the push of a button, the roof can be closed in a three-phase process that takes around 20 minutes.
Each roof truss has a length of 94.4 metres and a weight range of 82 to 104 tonnes. Each truss was constructed in eight pieces at the manufacturing unit, brought to the construction site, and assembled just outside of the stadium before being hoisted into position.
The roof trusses were lifted into place every two to three days. The whole process took about three hours and was only permitted when there was little to no wind.
Cooling technology
During its renovation, the Khalifa International Stadium became the first World Cup venue to be fitted with cutting-edge cooling technology; the rest of the venues also included the tech in their designs from the planning phase.
The first of these was Al Janoub Stadium, which was the first venue constructed entirely from the ground with the purpose of hosting World Cup events.
The system operates by removing hot air and recycling it through machines that emit fresh, filtered air. The air is purified and cleaned in the first section of the cooling system. It is then cooled in the second.
At FIFA's request, sensors were installed across the venues to regulate the humidity and maintain a temperature between 20 to 24 degrees Celsius.
Since the design of the stadium has a significant impact on the conditioning and purifying of air, the cooling systems were developed by testing their efficiency on 3D printed models of the stadium to calculate the strength of the wind and the structure of the shade. After that, unique cooling systems were developed for each stadium.
The cooling function is dependent on sensors that are restricted to the areas where people are present. The stadium's cooling system circulates cooled air through unique openings beneath the seats of the spectators and big nozzles that condition the playing field.
A stadium that can be dismantled
Stadium 974 is the first stadium designed for the World Cup that can be dismantled afterward; its name refers to the number of reconditioned shipping containers used in its construction as well as Qatar's international dialling code (+974).
The is the only World Cup stadium in Qatar that lacks air conditioning. Evening matches, when the weather is cooler, are held at this stadium.
Stadium 974 is constructed from colourful shipping containers, which also serve as restrooms inside the complex. The vivid red, yellow, and blue corrugated steel boxes appear to be floating between slabs of steel, like huge Lego blocks.
The modular design of the stadium significantly decreased construction costs, build times, and material waste. The water efficiency techniques used in the stadium ensure that the stadium uses 40% less water than a typical stadium construction.
After the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, the stadium will either be disassembled and rebuilt in a new location, or it will be used to create a number of smaller sports facilities in developing countries.
In a research that calculates the emissions from the stadium, FIFA and Qatar stated that as long as the stadium is transported less than 7,000 kilometres (approximately 4,350 miles) away, the pollution will be lower than building a new permanent stadium.
Building envelope
The stadiums in Qatar are built in a way that will enable them to use around 40% less energy than other stadiums worldwide.
The 'building envelope' design reduces energy consumption since it serves as a barrier between a building's interior and exterior, and regulates the passage of air, water, heat, light, and noise.
All of the layers separating the building's interior and outside are part of the envelope. The façade is the outer layer that is visible from the street.
By referencing architectural designs like a Bedouin tent in Al Bayt Stadium, a golden vessel in Lusail Stadium, and a sculptural boat in Al Janoub, Qatar has amazingly developed the building envelope concept.
Tensile fabric membranes can be used as a building envelope, either as a component or as the primary material of the walls and/or roof of a structure.
Lusail stadium's roof is a 'spoke-wheel' cable net structure. It is one of the largest tensile cable-net roofs in a stadium in the world, with a diameter of 307 metres (1,007 feet).
The roof simultaneously provides atmospheric comfort and integrates the vast stadium under a solid cover.
The design team points out that the use of the tensile technique made the construction of the wide-expanse roofing without the requirement for supporting columns possible.
