Heritage

Steeped in history, the old Msheireb area once pulsated as the heart of the city, directly connected to the waterfront before the corniche's emergence.

It earned its name, ‘msheireb,’ meaning ‘a place to drink water,’ from the cooling fresh waters of the old wadi that flowed towards the sea, bordered by Souq Waqif. Al Kahraba Street, translating to electricity, holds a special place as one of old Doha’s earliest and most significant areas, being the first to receive electricity in Qatar, a testament to Msheireb’s burgeoning commercial significance.
 
As the nation underwent a transformative journey with the discovery and development of its oil and gas resources in the 1950s, Doha evolved from a small trading and fishing hub into a modern metropolis. This transformation marked a definitive change in the city’s trajectory, reshaping its identity and way of life. Msheireb Downtown Doha was born from a visionary leadership’s desire to return to the city’s cultural roots, redefining its development and embracing its authentic heritage.

Introducing a Visionary Architectural Language: The Seven Steps of Msheireb Downtown Doha

At Msheireb Downtown Doha, we embark on a remarkable journey of innovation and cultural preservation. Over three years of dedicated research and collaboration with renowned architects, academics, and urban planners, we have crafted a new architectural language, ‘Seven Steps.’ This language harmoniously blends the essence of Qatari heritage with modern trends, ensuring its adaptability across global developments.

The Seven Steps

1. Continuity

To achieve continuity between the past, the present and the future by finding timeless motifs and techniques. Respecting time honoured traditions and applying them in a new way.

2. Individual & Collective

To achieve harmony and cohesion within the city by promoting diversity, while ensuring that buildings by diverse architects are bound together by a common language.

3. Space and Form

To reflect the character and informality of the traditional ‘carved city’. Buildings are not objects; they are part of an ‘urban clay’ from which spaces and forms are carved.

4. Home

To deliver an exceptional living environment; offering privacy and security together with generous indoor and outdoor spaces overlapping. A spirit of family and a sense of community.

5. Streets

To create a lasting setting for a vibrant street life. A shaded environment with pedestrian priority. Arcades and frontages designed to create a comfortable and memorable network of places.

6. Designing for Climate

To use technology old and new, to achieve maximum comfort with minimum energy use. To create shade, minimise heat gains and harness the natural forces of the sun and wind.

7. A New language of Architecture

To build on Qatari architectural tradition by using a new language, rich in reference and strong in resonance; flexible, to be spoken in many accents but consistent, to be understood by all.