'Mega development' set for Lusail
KEO has announced the completion of their designs for a mixed use development on a 70,000 sq m waterfront site in Qatar. 130,000 sq m of office space; 30,000 sq m of retail space and 640 residential units will be provided at Diyar Al-Kuwait in Lusail. Raj Patel, Design Director at KEO describes the design composition as being inspired by traditional courtyard planning and the facades as a response to the environmental conditions.
Set for completion in 2013, three office towers are situated along the northern portion of the site with their address along the Main Street and step up from 25 storeys at the northeastern corner to 29 storeys at the northwestern corner of the site. Elevated sky gardens in strategic locations of each tower break up the mass of the building and offer tenants a connection to nature.
The retail mall along the northern portion of the site meanders from the west to the east intricately connecting the office tower lobbies with several ceremonial drop-off courts to the office buildings and retail mall.
The residential buildings for the project are situated along the eastern and southern portion of the site to provide residential units with excellent views of the water. These buildings float above 4 bedroom townhouse units which are located on the podium level.
The facades of the different components are inspired by traditional mashrabiya designs and deal with transformation of patterns, protection from the sun’s rays, and privacy. The office building creates beautifully patterned facades using various sizes of stone and glass. The retail mall has skylights and entrance volumes wrapped in a random lace-like pattern to create shadows that mimic the quality of light found in traditional souqs. The residential buildings play with an array of stone, metal, and glass to provide maximum views of the water from the units within.
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