Valley City in Qatar

[Waqif_2012]

he masterplan of the Valley City–Qatar (VCQ) has emerged from an in-depth understanding and analysis of the existing urban morphology and social structure of Qatari cities.
Inspired by vernacular Qatari architecture, the VCQ is envisioned as a modern low-cost city designed to attract middle-income Qatari citizens as well as expatriates and their families. Located on a 3 million-sqm plot in the heart of the desert, between the historic cities of Doha and Al Khor, this new city’s main goal is to cater to the housing needs of the low and middle-income inhabitants of Qatar while achieving sustainable architecture with a low environmental impact.

Unlike the current trend of futuristic high-tech city projects, the VCQ retrieves its architectural guidelines from the traditional Qatari cities, trying to recapture the simplicity of their urban fabric.
Traditionally, most Qatari cities were located directly on the coastline as they were pearl-fishing and trading centers, before the industry of oil and gas took over the country’s economy in the 1940s. The situation of the urban settlements next to the sea, capturing the prevailing winds and sea breezes, ensured a cooler weather and allowed the citizens to live in harmony with nature.
The development of Qatari vernacular architecture started with mono-cellular housing structures that responded over time to the growth of families and their related interests and, as such, grew in a progressive but unstructured manner as the relationships grew and changed. The house, adjoined to other neighboring houses thus created an agglomeration, that when repeated, formed the City.

In appearance, the plan of these traditional cities looks irregular and chaotic, similarly to most Arab cities. Indeed, one can observe irregularity in their geometry and urban fabric, with absence of straight lines, tight development with narrow alleyways separating the residential units, chaotically interconnecting buildings and encroachments on public spaces.
However, this chaos becomes more structured once one enters the city in depth and reaches the basic units, the mono-cellular houses. A phenomenon recalling the Bifurcation Diagram in Chaos Theory.

Analysis shows that this chaotic urban morphology is the result of the Islamic laws of succession and their mechanisms of subdivision. Properties were subdivided according to a refined and elaborate system of shares prescribed by Islamic jurists. Most property was subject to successive subdivisions until minimum but functional parts were arrived at: the basic ‘workable’ nucleus unit, the one room space.
Successive iterations of subdivision over the course of decades gave a fractal character to the cities and thus became the main source of their complexity and chaos.
When taken over a long period of time span – time of development of a city, this initial simple function consequently produces at later stages a complex morphology as is know in Chaos Theory.
Accordingly, Chaos Theory provided the foundation and mathematical tool for the development of the VCQ master plan which obeys the same law of iterative method as the traditional Islamic city.

Established with sustainable and green standards, the VCQ masterplan maximizes the use of the natural elements of wind, water and sun, and minimizes the financial building costs.
Set in the heart of the desert, the VCQ faces a strong desert wind. Hence the proposed urban grid is built perpendicular to the wind trajectory, allowing it to hit the city and initiate a circulating movement throughout the urban structure in a sequence of chaotic curves: the Heighway dragon curve.
The path generated by the wind turbulences leads to the development of a linear city with a green valley crossing it.
As the catalytic core of the city, the valley area incorporates all vital public spaces of the city, ranging from central piazzas with street greenery, leisure and culture areas, sports facilities, commercial zones, open-air markets, green parks as well as public transportation stations. Set within walking distance from all the residential neighborhoods and offering car-free shaded pedestrian areas, the valley introduces a socially integrated lifestyle throughout the hot and cold seasons.
The residential approach of the city creates independent neighborhoods on both sides of the main valley, served by a peripheral road connecting them to each other and to the main highway to Doha.

The city offers all the benefits of an energy saving city throughout its design and building material: narrow roads providing shading and lessening the effect of hot daytime sun; green roofs protecting buildings from direct sun; strategically oriented streets and public spaces; maximum usage of windows for fresh air. The design thus enhances the feeling of the well-being in the city and creates its microclimates.

The VCQ could further develop towards the desert from one side and towards the sea from the other side, creating a marina as well as a commercial harbor. A water transport service could also be envisioned from the VCQ harbor to the center of Doha and eventually to Doha airport. The VCQ harbor would then be linked to the proposed public transport lanes that serve the different neighborhoods within the city.

With plans for 20,000 low-cost residential units, the VCQ is designed to be within the means of the general public and is set to become the homeland of more than 60,000 middle-income Qatari and expatriate inhabitants.

[weld el dafna]

thanks for sharing , any idea where is it located?

[Halawala]

I think this is another diaster waiting to happen. The first being Barwa Village near Wakra, which is already suffering from lack of shoppers. I dont think people would want to go to the middle of nowhere. KNowing Qatar, it will be built without proper infrastructure and then lack from access.

[Pro-Qatar]

It looks creepy. I think the government should be building the infrastructure of new cities in the outskirts of Doha the same way they built Al Dafna (West bay area). Roads and houses are very organized and they are not in a systematic way like a grid system. Each neighborhood is unique, this is called a Fusion Grid urban plan. It also gives a sense of equality, all houses have the same wall (which looks nice actually) and land sizes are almost equally the same. These lands should be given to newly married Qatari couples.

[salman515]

Originally Posted by Pro-Qatar

It looks creepy. I think the government should be building the infrastructure of new cities in the outskirts of Doha the same way they built Al Dafna (West bay area). Roads and houses are very organized and they are not in a systematic way like a grid system. Each neighborhood is unique, this is called a Fusion Grid urban plan. It also gives a sense of equality, all houses have the same wall (which looks nice actually) and land sizes are almost equally the same. These lands should be given to newly married Qatari couples.

Dafna is unique that for sure but it also difficult to navigate. it some areas it creates dead spots with no road access. Grid is much more organized in my opinion and it is easy to navigate.

I agree however, they should focus on developing the infrastructure in the outskirts of Doha. Al-khisa for example, look at the satellite view below. so many houses with no proper access.


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[Pro-Qatar]

Originally Posted by salman515

Dafna is unique that for sure but it also difficult to navigate. it some areas it creates dead spots with no road access. Grid is much more organized in my opinion and it is easy to navigate.

I agree however, they should focus on developing the infrastructure in the outskirts of Doha. Al-khisa for example, look at the satellite view below. so many houses with no proper access.

I agree with you, a Grid system is by far more organized and easier to navigate. I just feel that a grid system kills the soul in a neighborhood, you feel like living in Soviet Russia Some kind of uniqueness must be there.

About Al-Khisa, this is one of the problems we have in Qatar. Land is given in places where there is no infrastructure yet, not even a proper access. I wounder what they lack for that to happen. Money? Man power? or simply a Futuristic Outlook.

[Halawala]

Originally Posted by Pro-Qatar

I agree with you, a Grid system is by far more organized and easier to navigate. I just feel that a grid system kills the soul in a neighborhood, you feel like living in Soviet Russia Some kind of uniqueness must be there.

About Al-Khisa, this is one of the problems we have in Qatar. Land is given in places where there is no infrastructure yet, not even a proper access. I wounder what they lack for that to happen. Money? Man power? or simply a Futuristic Outlook.

I dont think grid system is bad. If you have proper facilities such as a park, shops, central area, it shouldnt be bad. If you have tons of houses with nothing else, then it can get boring.

[mj12]

Money? Man power? or simply a Futuristic Outlook

Brain cells

[Alrayyan]

Originally Posted by mj12

Brain cells

Ouch. "fel9ameem"

Feed them fish

[Waqif_2012]

Originally Posted by weld el dafna

thanks for sharing , any idea where is it located?

somewhere between Doha and Al Khor

[salman515]

‘Valley City’ project bags prestigious award

DOHA: Qatar’s “Valley City” project, a unique “live-work-play” city being developed by SAK Holding Group has won an international award at the prestigious MIPIM Future Project Award Ceremony in Cannes, France.
The project was chosen as the best project in the “Regeneration & Masterplanning” category, which is one of the most important international architectural awards recognised regionally and globally, said a statement.
The event was organised by Architectural Review, a renowned engineering magazine.
Qatar Olympic Committee project, the “Doha City Tennis Stadium”, topped the “Sport & Stadiums” category at the awards.
Valley City project received a special mention from the judges, who considered the project as a “consolidated architectural milestone” and said the designs are highly creative showcasing elegant engineering and architectural details that respond to the growing population’s basic and future needs, the statement said.
Located on a 3m sq metre desert plot between Doha and Al Khor, Valley City is intended as a live-work-play city for middle-income expatriates and Qatari citizens.
Its urban grid is built perpendicular to the hot desert wind whose path, generated by the wind turbulences, leads to the development of a linear city with a catalytic green valley crossing it between residential fingers.
The concept of the project is to build a city near one of the stadiums where the sporting events of the World Cup 2022 will be held, said the statement.
The judges commented: ‘An unusual proposition for Gulf city-making is provided without recourse to the ubiquitous glass tower. The analysis of how conventional urban forms are the consequence of inheritance and subdivision provides the basis for an intriguing alternative.’

SAK Holding Group Chairman Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani dedicated the international award to the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Sheikh Thani added: “SAK Holding Group chose MIPIM Real Estate Forum and Exhibition as a platform to announce its official global launch. The Forum attracts top decision makers, real estate developers, investors and creative engineers from across the world; I am proud to represent a Qatari company which is confidently aspiring to become one of the leading real estate companies both locally and globally.”
Elaborating on the master concept design engineer Marwan Zaghib said: “The Valley City comprises three major areas dedicated to sports, entertainment and culture.
“Each area includes a chain of neighbourhoods with specially designed houses, VIP villas, luxury apartments and offices featuring a hotel, resort and entertainment, sports and cultural facilities, in addition, to restaurants and commercial shops.”

From The Peninsula

[salman515]

[HUMAN EGO]

[salman515]

Thanks, the last photo, do you know where is it located ? the highway intersection looks similar to the one near Sumaysmah.

[Alrayyan]

Last picture is King Abdullah stadium in Jeddah -__-

[HUMAN EGO]

You're right! I don't know why they posted the picture as if it's related to the project.

But we have some clues though

between Doha and Al Khor

near one of the stadiums

So, I guess it's somewhere near umm slal or lusail not further, the project is pretty big 3m sq is bigger than lusail marina, so if we find an area that big near those stadiums then it's most likely the right location.

[love-qatar]

the hotel looks nice

dont know if they will do it or not, hope its not same as Urjwan

[Halawala]

Originally Posted by salman515

Thanks, the last photo, do you know where is it located ? the highway intersection looks similar to the one near Sumaysmah.

Well, from the looks of the renderings, the highways form a very close resemblence at Umm Qarn, south of Smaismah.

I am always against mass-produced cities. I think cities should represent a natural flow of growth and not patched up area of desert.

I really really hope that they dont go ahead with this project. Perhaps, they are making this in order to put all the tourists for the World Cup.