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Class Apart: the lobby at kempinski residences & Suites, doha

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veralargequantityofthemost expensivevirtualpastriesanda bottomlesspotofoverlysweet KaraktealacedwithRainbow brandcondensedmilk,the discussionturnedtoDesignin Doha:past,presentandfuture. Withnamebrand internationalarchitectslike JeanNouvelandCo.contributingtotheskyline,Dohasfast trackurbanizationisheretostay.However,onceyouzoom intothedetails,youmaybesurprisedtofindthatamajority oftheengineeringandarchitecturefirmsdrivingDohas

constructionfindtheirinspirationatalocalshop.The multidisciplinaryArabEngineeringBureau(AEB)was originallyestablishedin1966.Withthearrivalofarchitect IbrahimMohamedAl-Jaidahin1991,theofficesharpenedits focustocreatebuildingsthatenhancedanddefinedthe architecturalstyleofmodernQatar,whilepreserving essentialelementsoftraditionalQatariarchitecture.Manyof theregionsiconicbuildingsoriginatedfromtheofficesof AEB.InDohaalone,thereareatleast850buildingsthatbear hisimprimatur. Fellowtea-drinkerandeducatorConstantinBoymwas offeredin2010anopportunitytobecomeDirectorofthefirst MFADesignProgramintheMiddleEast,atVirginia CommonwealthUniversityinQatar(VCUQ ).ThisJunethere willbethefirstgraduatingclassfromthemulti-disciplinary departmentunderhistutelage. BoymisarelativenewcomertotheDohadesignscene,buthe hasadeepwellofexperiencespanningthreedecadesprior.

Doha? Once the oil and natural gas exports began (in the 1950s) how did the influx of wealth and progress shape and change the direction of Qatari architecture? Since Doha went from a small village to a large metropolis in half a century, how do we define Urban Qatari Design? IMJ:Itstrue,thepastofQatarwasavillageonthesea,areal melting-pot.Whenyoulookatthehistoryofthecity,likeany traditionalseatown,youdiscovermanyofthepeoplewere travelersandmerchants.Peopletraveledforbusinessand outsidersbroughttheirsensibilitiesherefromtheirown cultures.Gulfarchitectureisunique,anditseasytoseethe visualinfluencesofmanypartsoftheGulfinQatar.Thereare

Design Maestros: top: Italian-trained, russian-born master designer constantin Boym; right: americaneducated, doha-bred master architect Ibrahim Mohamed al-Jaidah

BeforehesethissightsonQatar, Boymranthemuchadmired, visionarydesignfirmBoym PartnersInc.inNewYork,whileat thesametimejugglingacademic coordinatordutiesintheProduct DesignprogramatParsonsSchool ofDesign.Whenhisworld-class reputationasadesigngurugrew, Boymexpandedhisteaching agendatoincludeinternational MasterDesignworkshopsand lecturesinAsia,Europeand America.BoymPartnersalso receivedthehighestdesignaward intheUnitedStates,the2009NationalDesignAwardin ProductDesignfromCooper-Hewitt,NationalDesign Museum,SmithsonianInstitution. THEPAST LLB: The Doha of 2012 Ive gotten to know is a progressive and optimistic city, looking ahead toward the future. Its well documented that the city got its start in fishing, pearl hunting and trading. How did these humble origins shape the city of

elementsfrommultiplecultures:Saudi,Iraq,Iran,India, OmanandZanzibar,even.Thenthereareinfluencesfrom theinteriornomadictribessuchastheNajd,whoutilized therangeland.Allofthistogetherisabigmix!Butthat culturalmeldingwasnotjustastronginfluenceinthe historicalQatariarchitecture,itsstillonatthismoment. CB:Recently,Istumbleduponanamazingwebsiteof photographsfromthearchitecturalhistoryofQatar.The

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The most successful projects are mainly Gulf-influenced, with a modern direction. Its an Arab vernacular style with the functions changed to fit the needs of today.

planningofoldDohawasessentiallyasocial,pedestriancity. Itwasnotacarculturewherepeopledroveintounderground garages.Residentsstrolledeverywhere,andbuildingsand homesweredesignedtoflowintothestreet.Itsanaspectof Arablife,verydifferentfromthegatedcommunitiesand compoundspeopleliveintoday.

IMJ:Themost successfulprojects aremainlyGulfinfluenced,witha moderndirection. ItsanArab vernacularstylewiththe functionschangedtofitthe needsoftoday.Standouts LLB: IMJ, your book on the history of Qatari architecture fromthatearlyperiodare 1800-1950 is considered the definitive book on the subject. Its theheadquartersofthe quite comprehensive; can you talk a little about your book? QatarFoundation,outin EducationCity.Also,the IMJ:Well,thereareactuallytwobooks.Onehasalready DiplomaticClubinthe beenpublishedTheHistoryofQatariArchitectureisthe bookthatyouretalkingabout.Imcurrentlyatworkonanew WestBayLagoonisagreat interiordesignbook,tobepublishedbytheendof2012.Itsa building. volumeonTraditionalQatariInteriorstoinspiredesigners THEPRESENT workingonIslamicarchitecturehereandabroad.The researchinthebookisalreadyquiteextensive.Thebookwill LLB: Doha has opened up to foreign designers in addition portrayexistingQatariinteriorsinspiredbythetraditional to shops like AEB that are wayofliving. already based in the region. CB:Thefirstbookisaninvaluableresourceforstudentsand What unique qualities can Qatari designers contribute designersalike.Ive to the global urban image of seenyourfirstbook Qatar? onmanyastudents deskatVCUQ.There IMJ:Iwelcometheamazingforeignarchitectsworkinginthe isagreatdesire regionwithopenarms,astheirdiverseexperiencesand amongstudentsto knowthetradition,so pointsofviewareaddingsomuchvaluetothecityweare creatingtogether.Havingamorediversepoolofinternational thattheirdesign proposalsareintune architectsbuildinginDohacreatesanextremelyhealthy withthepastandhave situationforeveryoneparticipating.Itgoeswithoutsaying Imenthusiasticallypro-global. acertaincultural relevance. CB:Tobeacontemporarymetropolis,Dohahastobe LLB: So how can we international,andhastobebuiltwithparticipationbyan reconcile the old and internationalrosterofarchitects.Atthesametime,these the new purpose-built Creative Touch: outsidersbringacriticalre-evaluationofthelocaltraditions structures? Which Laurene Leon Boym

LLB:Lookingback,Dohaisinneedofmorepublicgreen spacetore-awakenandfacilitatethetraditionalArabicurban socialfabric.Wehaveamazingweatherherefivemonthsina year.However,livinginalifestylecompoundisthedefacto wayoflifenowfornationalsandexpatsalike.Onewoman recentlysaidtomeIwantedmyownbackyard.Ithought thatwasaninterestingtrade-off,a3mx3mprivatepatchof greenlawnforamodeloflivingthathasdestroyedArab sociallife.

projects of the past 20 years come to mind in Doha that best illustrate a philosophy of incorporating the old traditions alongside the new way of life?

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Visual Splendor: clockwise: Swimming pool and the exterior view of the diplomatic club; exterior view of kempinski residences & Suites; swimming pool of al Sharq Village & Spa; QF headquarters; the courtyard and relaxation area of al Sharq Village & Spa.

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andstyle.PaolaAntonelli,thedesigncuratorattheMuseum ofModernArt(MoMA),wroteaboutdiggingdeepintolocal cultureinordertoachievetheuniversalsublime.Fordesign andarchitecturealike,localtraditionshaveinrecentdecades provedtobethemostmeaningfulwaytomovebeyond modernismwithoutgivingupthegreatqualitiesofmodern design. LLB: Can you tell us about some internationally-born architects designing buildings in Qatar that have managed to co-opt and incorporate some local flavor into some of the skyscrapers, institutions and museums that have gone up in the past few years? IMJ:TheJapanesedesignerArataIsozakihasdonean extraordinaryjobdevelopingEducationCity.WhenAEB designedtheoriginalQatarFoundationthatwastheonly buildingofreferenceoutinEducationCity.Isozakibuilton theoriginalideaofEducationCity,beautifully.JeanNouvel andPeipartnersreferredtoIslamicarchitectureandhave designedbuildingsthatfitinthelocalenvironment. THEFUTURE LLB: We have a long way to go in Doha before environmental awareness is part of our citizens everyday lexicon. IMJ, I was impressed with the emphasis on the sustainable aspects of your firms work. Can you update us on your involvement in the green building practice?

programsmovefromnarrowspecializationsinto understandingdesignasacomprehensivefieldthatstretches overseparatedisciplines.Thedesignproblems(and solutions)oftodayarejusttoocomplicatedtofitwithinone traditionaldiscipline.Topreparedesignleadersforthisfluid andcomplexcondition,weneedtoteachcollaboration,to makedesignerscomfortabletoworkinteams,toenablethem tomoveeasilybetweenseparatedisciplines.Ineducation, thereshouldbeafluidityrequiredinthinkingabout addressingproblems,notjustlearningphysicaltools. IMJ:Designisanevolvingdiscipline.Thedesignschoolsare alreadydoinganexcellentjobofpreparingyoungdesigners toworkinacontemporarycontext,andreadyingthemforthe challengesof2022.Theprocesshasacceleratedtosuchan extentthatstudentsarelearningthesameskillsatthesame timewithmaturemembersofthedesigncommunity. LLB: How do you see the fully formed Doha of the 2022 World Cup through the visitors eyes? How will residents benefit from these advances? IMJ:Therearesomanyprojectsintheworksfor2022 already.Whatwearegoingtosee,becauseofhighdemand,is alotmorehotels,andapublictransportationsystem. Ultimately,wearecommittedtomakingDohathegold standardfortheGulfregion.Asocial,educationaland culturalrenaissanceofQatarishappening.The2022World Cupinitiativeiscontributingtotheaccelerationofdesigndrivenchangesinourcapital.Aroundtheworld,designers aresearchingforwaystodesignDoha2022.

Architect Rem Koolhaas has said that the Gulf is not just reconfiguring itself; its reconfiguring the world The solutions which we try here might become a norm in many parts of the globe ten years from now.

CB:TheideaistousetheWorldCupeventasacatalystto transformthecity,tomakeitlivable,sustainableand enjoyableforgenerationsofpeopleafter2022.TheCupis justafewweekslong,butlifegoeson!Talent-wise,Qatarhas theworldsbestthinkersatitsdisposal.Holistically,what shouldbedonetoimproveourqualityoflifehere?Perhaps thereisaneedtogetinputsatalldifferentlevelstolook criticallyatthecity.ArchitectRemKoolhaashassaidthat theGulfisnotjustreconfiguringitself;itsreconfiguringthe world.Thesolutionswhichwetryheremightbecomea norminmanypartsoftheglobetenyearsfromnow. Integratingcityplanning,infrastructurewithnew IMJ:Ourancestorsalreadyhadgreenbuildingpracticesin placethatwouldwincertificationtoday.Therewassensitivity construction,soundslikeboringstuffcomparedtobuilding tomaterials,orientationandscalethatmadethosestructures newbuildings.Butultimatelyitscomplementary,and everythinghastoworksidebyside.Itsadifferentwayof verylivableandgreen.Onlyinthepastyearortwo,green buildingpracticehasmainstreamedintheMENAregion.At lookingahead.Steppingbacktothevantagepointofhow AEB,wemakeitapointtoincludethebasicsofsustainability peoplelive,Imthinkingaboutthoselittlepatchesofgreen grasshereandtherethatfamiliespicniconsopleasurablyin ineverybuildingwedesignnow. thegoodweather. Preciselybecausewearelookingahead,wecantjusttear LLB: CB, your energy is now being invested in educating the everythingdown.Becauseoftheenormousfinancial younger generation. Do you have thoughts about learning design and behavior by example and research? What type of role resourcesathand,therearetheopportunitiesforQatartobe amajorplayerinsocialchange.Theultimategoalshouldbe do you feel design education plays in the future of this country? tochanneldesignersandtheircreativetalenttoward addressingcommunityneeds. CB:Graduate-leveldesigneducationintheregionisvery new,andtherearelotsofchallengessettingupanewdesign program...likeanywhereintheworld.Here,therearesome Laurene Leon Boym is a partner in the Doha/New York City-based parallelstotheWest.Mostimportantly,designisnow design studio Boym Partners. She has taught at Parsons The New understoodandtaughtasamultidisciplinaryactivity.The School for Design and the School of Visual Arts.

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