Postponed: The National Library of Qatar

[salman515]

i looked all over this fourm looking for the national library info and i came out emty handed :bash: . i also found n the nccah website some info but no dates

http://www.nccah.com/project/images/scroll_images/QNL-001.jpg

thats what i found :

The library components include:

• Lower floors:

• Natural History Museum

• ArtGalleries(Permanent& Temporary)

• Stores & services

• Visitors & VIP access

• Administration (Museum & Galleries)

• Auditorium room (300 prs).


• Upper floors:

• Main reading room

(212,640 volumes, 300 seats)

• Main stack room (1 million volumes)

• Main administration

• Lecture room (72 prs)

• Restaurant & Cafeteria

• Services

so whats going on they start working then they stopped for no reason ??

[salman515]

^^ http://www.nccah.com/

[dave550]

Are u in Qatar?? Did u see any construction at the site?

[salman515]

yes two years ago and they stopped and now i know why read this :

Baytur chases cash for National Library losses
Saturday, 15 April, 2006

Turkish contractor Baytur is battling to recoup major losses it incurred on the US $200 million (QR728 million) Qatar National Library, after the plug was pulled on the project late last year.

Construction Week has learned that the contractor had ordered a major shipment of steel when the Emir of Qatar axed the project.

Work on the landmark Arata Isozaki-designed building was stopped without any public statement being made detailing the reasons behind the decision. And contractors remain baffled as to why the landmark development was shelved.

‘Technical reasons’ were cited by the National Council of Culture, Arts and Heritage (NCCAH). “The project was cancelled six months into the contract,” said Argun Yum, a Qatar-based project manager with Baytur.

“It beats me as to why — we believe it was to suit the needs of the client. We had already started to ship in steel and other materials, and were working within a tight programme.

“We are in the process of closing out and settling the losses we made through material orders and other costs. This is being done with the approval of the client.”

Qatar Petroleum was implementing the project on behalf of the NCCAH. And drawings for the building — which was set to be an iconic centrepiece on Doha’s waterfront — were submitted by Japanese architect, Arata Isozaki, in 2004.

Turner Construction International was taken on as post-construction manager.

Two museums were planned in a 9m high podium structure, from which three 18m wide and 120m tall pillars, accommodating the main rooms of the library, would have stood. The project was going to be built over an area of 44,500m2.

“We submitted our drawings and documents two years ago, but the project was then terminated,” said Taro Hayashi, a project architect at Arata Isozaki.

“We saw a fax about it at the end of 2005. The information we got was that the Emir of Qatar decided to stop the construction of this project. However, we managed to get our design fee back.”

The national library was among three major cultural projects planned for Qatar under a $15 billion tourism masterplan unveiled in 2004.

A 11,000m2 photographic library was also in the planning stages, as well as a re-developed national museum. But it is not known whether these projects will now proceed.

“We don’t know what is happening with the other two projects at the moment,” said a spokesperson for Qatar Petroleum.

“The National Library project has been stopped, we don’t know why, it was a decision taken by the client.”

The NCCAH was unavailable for comment.

[Halawala]

^^ I think the project got delayed until 2008 not totally axed. I think there was a thread earlier about the National library. I'll try to look for it later to see more info.

[Halawala]

http://www.skylib.com/4a.jpg
http://www.skylib.com/4b.jpg
http://www.skylib.com/4c.jpg


This site http://www.skylib.com/libtech.htm also tells you how they are going to build this project.

Five stages for assembling the upper building on the towers

Hammering the pillars, concrete casting and footing foundation.
http://www.skylib.com/gnl_st1.jpg

Constructing the concrete towers which will hold the upper building of the library.
http://www.skylib.com/gnl_st2.jpg


Assembling the upper part of the library building on the ground (8 fl. & 180 m. length)
http://www.skylib.com/gnl_st3.jpg


Lifting the steel frame and installing it on the three towers.
http://www.skylib.com/gnl_st4.jpg

Fixing of concrete panels, mechanical works and electrical works.
http://www.skylib.com/gnl_st5.jpg

[omarmakki]

wow! Nice find Halawala! ;)

[dave550]

^^Me too I think it is delayed as I saw pple on TV talking about it last Ramadan in the Green Tent or whatever u call it. They said that it was being delayed for technical reasons and they are going to proceed

[Qatar4Ever]

It look stupied. We need something more islamic/arabic looking for our library.

[margog]

that looks nice guys i reley like it... looks like ((mob5ar)) its soooooooooooooo wonderful :)

[Halawala]

I thinks it looks perfect. We already have too much Islamic/Traditional things. Im tired of it. We need more modern/futuristic things like this design. hehehe

[margog]

the perfect things in qatar, buildings is islamic desines wich its poor in kuwait
to me I prefer the modern islamic arceticting.

[salman515]

i like the design but i still think the place is wrong it should be in the islamic musim place

[dave550]

I love this projetc and I just can't wait till I get to see it

[Halawala]

I think if MelliniaL placed this rendering in his future Doha skyline it would look great!

[Qatarifreak]

Awesome design. I agree with Halawala that we have enough islamic designs in our buildings.

[Dismanirie]

The construction technology was perfected by Taisei in Japan. Baytur won the contract on cost, but have no experience with such sophisticated technology. I believe the project was suspended in order to ascertain the capability of the winning contractor to actually fulfil the task.

[Koweitien]

http://www.skylib.com/4a.jpg
http://www.skylib.com/4b.jpg
http://www.skylib.com/4c.jpg


This project seems really interesting but I don't know why but whenever I see this pic I think 'Grandizer' :colgate:

[Halawala]

^^^ Now I remember! There was a thread about this before and someone made the same comment.. (maybe it was you) lool! But your right it does look like him. Or remember the old power rangers shows where the five rangers combine to form a big robot.. hehe :P

[Halawala]

http://web.mit.edu/sseligma/www/images/TN_grand40s.JPG
http://web.mit.edu/sseligma/www/images/TN_grand15s.JPG
http://web.mit.edu/sseligma/www/grand89.jpg
http://web.mit.edu/sseligma/www/promo_grandizer.jpg

[salman515]

hehehe walla ma3endkom sallfa well it looks like the head only

[Halawala]

loool, just to make a comparison ya3ny. (the photos are for you margog) lool ^^ :)

[margog]

well grendizer is my best cartoon ever:D
but I still beleve that this project is like mob5ar and I like it so much :cheers:

[shayan]

Uhmmm are there so many Qatari books?...

[Halawala]

Uhmmm are there so many Qatari books?...


???

[dave550]

^^Actually we never define them as Qatari books. Remember that Qatar is a part of the Arabic World, and we just cal them Arabic books/ books in Arabic not Qatari or Egyptian etc. Plus, this library is going to include a branch of the British National Library according to what I heard

[Halawala]

Yes, thats right. It will be mostly English and Arabic books.

[salman515]

:D i told u guys they were working this picture from google nits one or two years old
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/5131/lbrary2tx.jpg

[Qatarifreak]

Woohoo!!

[margog]

thats good they start construction good luck guys . ;)

[Halawala]

I cant see the pictures :cry:

[salman515]

thats weird, its on imageshack u should be able to see it

[omarmakki]

OMG! That's one damn big construction site!

[Halawala]

I can see it now!! That site is the same one since 2 years as you said, Salman, I saw the same site from the plane. It hasn't chnged. I think that the columns look way too thin, from the prespective of an engineer. Maybe its indeed a technical difficulty that postponed this project indefently.

[suzan]

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3856/untitledsk4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Halawala]

Wow, nice pics again! I think they will start after the Asian Games or sometime in 2007.

[suzan]

http://nccah.com/project/images/scroll_images/QNL-001.jpg

http://nccah.com/project/images/scroll_images/QNL-002.jpg

http://nccah.com/project/images/scroll_images/QNL-005.jpg

http://nccah.com/project/images/scroll_images/QNL-003.jpg

http://nccah.com/project/images/scroll_images/QNL-007.jpg

http://nccah.com/project/images/scroll_images/QNL-008.jpg

Check the video!!!!!!!!! :nuts: :nuts: :nuts: :nuts: :nuts:
Right click --> Save target as

http://nccah.com/project/images/qnl_wmv.wmv

[qatari 4 ever]

WooooooooooooooooW

Great video

thaaaaaanx

[4I.â.B4]

wow, is it the largest Library in the world?

[Halawala]

...according to Sheika Mayassa, the library is scheduled to open before 2010, where Doha is scheduled to be the cultural capital of the Arab world.

[Qatar Son 333]

^^
the cultural capital of the Arab world

woow in what way ???

[4I.â.B4]

^^I posted that before in the Qatar records:D

Well, qatarson, Qatar is remaining its identity, the souqs (especially souq waqif), its history (forts, etc.) etc. and also the museum of Islamic arts, al sharq village and spa - set like a qatari village, now this. surely theres nothing like that compare that to other arab cities.

[salman515]

...according to Sheika Mayassa, the library is scheduled to open before 2010, where Doha is scheduled to be the cultural capital of the Arab world.


Taking Sharjah place :cheers: , it will take at least two years to build it, they should be working by now.

[Michiel]

Any news about this building?

Picture from Google Maps, May 2006
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/5131/lbrary2tx.jpg

Now
http://i19.tinypic.com/6ntjgc6.jpg

The site seems to be abandoned.

[ahmad.oustwani]

whaaaatt................

[salman515]

This project was Postponed. i dont think anyone here knows why . i have a feeling till 2009 ;p

[Qatarifreak]

The project is cancelled, not postponed. This is from a friend of mine that works close to Sheikha Mayassa.

[Qatarifreak]

Ok, maybe my friend was misinformed, as I drove in front of the construction site this am and the rebar is clearly visible from the street. This wasn't the case a few months ago.

[Qatar Son 333]

^^ hmm so is it U/C or cancelled ? i hope not !

[Halawala]

Ok, maybe my friend was misinformed, as I drove in front of the construction site this am and the rebar is clearly visible from the street. This wasn't the case a few months ago.

The rebars were always there from two years, but nothing happened!

[amnesia]

I can't understand why such a thing was postponed or cancelled.

First of all it would have made the skyline more beautiful, second of all it would have enouraged people to read more (go to the library and read a book with a lovely view), third of all, such architecture would put Doha on the map.

Sometimes I feel that as much as we're developing, there is someone behind the scenes holding us back.

[qatarson]

oh people you still waiting this ... I hear long time ago they cancelled there no company can build this project

[ahmad.oustwani]

realllyyy........how did you know that......?

[Jim856796]

Why was the National Library cancelled? It's because of the design, ain't it? It requires the building's steel frame to be built on the ground, then lifted up on two elevator shaft towers. Somebody needs to get a new, more constructable design for a National Library in Qatar.

[Qatar Son 333]

^^ i dont think that was the reason but from what i have heard i am guessing they were bankrupt ?