Msheireb Downtown Doha seeks to be the world’s first sustainable downtown regeneration initiative, targeting LEED Gold certification. At its heart is this square surrounded by eight-to-nine-storey buildings housing retail, residential, and commercial accommodation. The goal was to create a new lexicon of styles consistent with traditional laws of proportion, with modular accents expressing individual uses. The space is envisioned as both a golden jewel box, with the buildings’ onyx cladding, and an urban majlis – the traditional gathering room in Qatari houses – encouraging interaction and integration. Backlighting to the onyx panels produces a golden glow at night. Due to onyx’s natural tonal variations, specialist software was developed to aid the stone placement. A major challenge was how to make the square usable year round. The solution: a retractable modular canvas roof, and lower-level "sails" of low-E-coated textile to create semi-enclosed "cool pools" around the perimeter where cafés and eateries are located.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture