With the 2022 football World Cup the global media put the spotlight on Qatar. Much has been said already about the years leading up to the World Cup when architects were busy creating the necessary venues and infrastructure. But how is the legacy of the World Cup shaping up for Qatar now that the football circus has left the country? We have asked AIA International member, Amar Hromo, who lives and works in Qatar, to take a look for us. Here’s his first of two reports.
Stadium 974 (Photo: Amar Hromo)
Innovative stadium design
Stadium 974 is located near Ras Abu Aboud, 10 km east of the heart of Doha, on the grounds of the former Doha Port and under the motorway leading into the city from the airport. It was one of the venues that attracted the most photos because of its location and unique style.
Designed by the Frenwick Iribarren Architects it was envisioned as homage to the site’s industrial history and the international dialing code of Qatar (+974). Fenwick Iribarren Architects said, "the idea was to avoid building a "white elephant", a stadium that is left unused or underused after the tournament ends, as happened following previous World Cups."
What is unique about this stadium hides partially in its name. It is built from 974 shipping containers on a completely modular steel structure with a clear vision for future uses and the legacy of the World Cup. The stadium will be fully dismantled and sent overseas either as one stadium or as three smaller stadiums to continue the legacy of the Qatar World Cup.
It was initially anticipated that it would travel to Africa, but it is now rumored that if Uruguay's bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup is successful, it may instead travel there. As it was constructed completely from containers and modular steel it was the first fully demountable covered football stadium in the world. Not only was it the first stadium of its kind, but it also showed a different kind of approach towards the sporting world architecture. A way of daring design that is more sustainable, cost effective and shows commitment of organizers towards a better and more sustainable future.
Sources:
Stadium 974 on the Qatar 2022 website
"The World Cup stadium built to disappear: Stadium 974". CTV News
Amar Hromo, MSc Architect, Int’l Assoc. AIA
Contributor to AIA International Communication & PR Committee
