Souq Waqif Neighborhood as a Transit-Oriented Development

Ellath

et al. 2021

Designs

Self Cite

Over the last two decades, Doha, the capital city of Qatar, has undergone rapid urbanization. The city has capitalized large-scale urban and infrastructural projects resulting in a loss of historical areas of heritage value to people. Recent construction of the Doha Metro is opening avenues for place-making of transit towns through a framework envisioned by the need to shape compact, livable and sustainable neighborhoods and to mitigate the effects of urbanization on valuable historical heritage sites. Due to its historic significance, the Qatar National Museum (QNM)-Souq Waqif corridor is the case study selected for exploring and defining a framework for a contextualized place-making transit-oriented development (TOD) model. The research design is structured by reviewing the literature about TODs and the need for place-making model in Qatar, followed by collecting visual data from municipal authorities, through site visits, and site observations. The data are then analyzed to propose a novel masterplan, rooted in key urban design components of place-making. The insights will contribute to proposals for context-driven design strategies to enhance livability of the site and to extend its application to other potential transit hubs in metropolitan Doha and in the Middle East.

Section: Transit-oriented Development (Tod): a Place-making Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Place-Making of Transit Towns in Qatar: The Case of Qatar National Museum-Souq Waqif Corridor

Marthya

Ellath

et al. 2021

Designs

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“…In numerous growth policies, a high degree of diversity is supported throughout a given area, while density tends to change according to distance from the area's transport station areas. Generally, density falls at greater such distances, but as the reputation (and perceived attractiveness) of a TOD location grows, the density of the area as a whole will also tend to increase [27].…”

Section: The Influence Of Todmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transit-Oriented Development in Doha: The Case of the Al Sadd Neighborhood and Hamad Hospital Metro Station

Nafi

Grosvald

et al. 2021

Designs

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Over the last two decades, transit-oriented development (TOD) has been widely implemented as an integrated strategy to enhance urban livability. Doha, the capital of the State of Qatar, has faced urban challenges such as excessive reliance on private vehicles, absence of a well-established public transportation system, and issues with integration of last-mile connectivity. This research study explores Al Sadd, a mixed-use neighborhood in Doha, in order to investigate key factors to be addressed for enhancing urban livability within this neighborhood. These factors were analyzed through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods incorporating: (1) a literature review focusing on sustainability, smart growth, and transit-oriented development; (2) data collection and analysis utilizing oral and visual data from the Qatari Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Qatar Rail, and private engineering and consulting companies; and (3) analytical and applied study through site analysis, observation, photographs, and field notes. A regeneration master plan for the study area proposes the creation of avenues for urban interaction through the introduction of community open spaces, pedestrian-friendly streets, and other measures promoting city compactness. The outcome of this research study illustrates how the enactment of a TOD model can lead to smart growth and eco-friendly urban living by emphasizing TOD principles which promote a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood.

“…In line with this vision, Doha has hosted various national and international sports events, aiming at becoming a hub for sporting mega-events. In particular, due to its recent naming as host of FIFA World Cup 2022, the country has experienced a rapid urban expansion, including the development of a public transport network (e.g., the Doha Metro), several megaprojects, housing and hospitality facilities, and green urban areas (Furlan and Sinclair, 2021;Tannous, Furlan, and Major, 2020;. At the same time, the prevalent national urban planning strategy over the last 30 years has seen an increase in urban density and land consumption (i.e., sprawl) (Al Saeed and Furlan, 2019;Furlan and Al-Mohannadi, 2020;Furlan, Zaina, and Patel, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A social-ecological perspective for emerging cities: The case of Corniche promenade, “urban majlis” of Doha

J Infrastruct Policy Dev

Grosvald

Azad

2022

Self Cite

In the past decade, the capital city of Doha of the State of Qatar has experienced rapid urban expansion and other changes due to globalization, which has caused (i) the loss of a compact urban pattern, (ii) landscape fragmentation, and (iii) deficiency of green spaces. Therefore, as envisioned by Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV-2030), the State of Qatar plans to invest substantial funds into the urban regeneration of the built environment, along with the development of large areas of public parks as a means of promoting more sustainable urban development and enhancing city residents’ well-being. Accessibility contributes to the usability of public facilities on the part of the neighborhood community, thus enhancing city dwellers’ well-being. Nonetheless, the authors argue, the urban network along Doha’s Corniche promenade, the dominant open public space and the spine of the city, lacks connectivity at various scales of space. Therefore, this research study aimed to assess the existing conditions of Doha’s Corniche and recommend strategies for implementing its integration into the newly emerging city’s urban fabric. The findings, revealed through a network-analysis investigation based on graph theory, allowed us to generate a framework for shaping open public spaces, promoting higher living standards through a green network system planned at the city scale. The proposed framework addresses social-ecological challenges of distinctive open public spaces and helps define an approach for (i) tailoring the accessibility of open public spaces to their surroundings, and (ii) enhancing city dwellers’ well-being.