In November 2022, Qatar will host the historic FIFA World Cup. The country began to prepare for this event in advance, because it is necessary to erect grand sports arenas, which will be able to accommodate tens of thousands of fans. It is their design and original form that draws the most attention of soccer fans and is actively discussed on the Web. As it turns out, each of the erected or reconstructed giants evokes persistent visual associations, from the traditional Arab male headdress to the most piquant part of the female body.
The upcoming World Cup 2022 is considered historic not only for the tiny emirate, but also for the whole world for several reasons, because it will be held in the Middle East for the first time in its history, and for the first time it will take place in the fall.
And that’s not all, the most important thing is that all the grand sports arenas will be located close to each other and fans arriving in Qatar can easily get from one to the other simply by metro.
Given the date of the approaching soccer extravaganza, some stadiums are fully built, others are taking their fantastic shape and will soon be completed, but to the construction of the remaining just beginning. Whatever it is, the projects of all new sports arenas and reconstruction plans of the existing ones are approved and actively discussed, and not only by the soccer fans.
The biggest storm of emotions, from the total rejection of some and ending with a great joy of others, caused the project legendary Zaha Hadid. The editorial of Novate.Ru decided to understand the reasons why millions of users were so excited and to present the brightest projects of sports giants of the upcoming Mundial.
- Al Bayt Stadium in Al-Khori
The second-largest Al Bayt Stadium, located in Al Khori, will be able to seat up to 60,000 people under its comfortable arches during group stage and playoff matches. Considering that even on a November day in Qatar the temperature can reach more than +30, the complex is equipped not only with a retractable roof, but also a modern air conditioning system.
The design was created by the Iranian architectural firm Dar Al-Handasah, so inspired by Arab traditions, the design of the giant soccer arena reflects the image of a traditional black and white tent of Bedouins – bait al shaar, which should show the Eastern hospitality of the hosts of the championship.
- Al-Gharafa Stadium in Al Gharafa
Al Gharafa Stadium already exists and is used as a training and game arena for the local team of the same name. As part of the 2022 World Cup, it will undergo a complete renovation, which will not only provide modern air-conditioning systems, but will also increase the number of seats for spectators. Thanks to its modular construction, which will simply be dismantled after the Mundial, the stadium will be able to accommodate 44 thousand fans.
The facade of the stadium certainly resembles the usual wicker basket only the huge size, each conditional row which will reflect the color of the national banners of countries that will qualify for the World Cup 2022. With such a design solution the hosts want to express their love for the game, showing their friendliness, tolerance and respect for the traditions of the countries participating in the mundial.
- Education City Stadium on the outskirts of Doha.
The magnificent stadium is being built in the heart of the educational city of Education City by FIA Fenwick Iribarren Architects, a Spanish architectural firm. Its interesting feature will be the unusual lighting, which will change depending on the position of the sun. The facade will be made of a huge number of translucent triangular panels, so that the refracted sunlight will play with a variety of colors, both outside and inside the building.
Given this feature, it has already been condemned as a “diamond of the desert”, because the main idea of the developers’ concept was the slogan – “shine by day and shine by night”. It is noteworthy that this sports arena, which embodies the splendor of a precious stone, will not be dismantled after the World Cup, but turned into the base of the national women’s soccer team.
- Al-Rayyan Stadium in Al-Rayyan
The current Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium was planned to be reconstructed, but during construction it turned out that nothing good would come of it, so it was completely dismantled. Now in its place the architectural company Pattern Architects from London is building a sports arena, which will be styled in the desert landscape.
- Al Thumama Stadium in Doha
It is the only project in which Qatari architects together with Korean and Spanish architects Arab Engineering Bureau, Fenwick Iribarren Architects and Heerim Architects participated. The design concept clearly reflects the look of the traditional Arab skullcap, the gahfiya. The arena, purpose-built for the Mundaeal, will be scaled down after the final whistle and transformed into the Center for Sports Medicine.
Judging by the general trend of construction, all the new arenas will be reduced and adapted for the needs of organizations and clubs, which are associated with the ordinary life of citizens. It is noteworthy that despite the fact that the sports complex is not yet completed, its project managed to get a prestigious French architectural award MIPIM.
- Al-Wakrah Stadium in Al-Wakrah.
It is one of the most discussed and condemned projects of the upcoming Qatar World Cup in three years. This futuristic concept was presented by the legendary, untimely deceased Zaha Hadid back in 2013.
As soon as fans saw the layout of the future stadium, their visual associations led them to the image of … women’s genitals. Zaha herself called such attacks “nonsense” commenting on the analogy: “It’s just ridiculous. If the author of the project was a man, there would not have been so much criticism. As the architect herself claimed, she was inspired to create the stadium in this form by the appearance of traditional Arab sailing boats dhows. The roof is made in the form of typical sails.
Feminists were unspeakably happy about the comparison. One of them was genuinely perplexed as she commented: “… In any major city there are a lot of phallic skyscrapers, which no one resents. And there is nothing wrong with it that discerning people saw these shapes as feminine.”
Al-Wakrah Stadium is planned as part of a huge mixed-use complex, which will create not only restaurants, offices and stores, but also a modern water center.