Top international architects Allies and Morrison have called upon Qatari authorities to take steps to make Doha more pedestrian-friendly and encourage Qatari families to relocate back into the city centre and ensure its recent revival.

Speaking at the Human Habitation conference in Royal Institute of British Architects, London, Tim Makower, partner at Doha-based Allies and Morrison, said, "We are witnessing Doha beginning the rebirth of its city centre. But to do this it needs to bring Qatari families back into the city centre and become more pedestrian-friendly."

The conference, which focused on the architecture, settlement and urban identity of the Gulf region, drew a distinguished audience of architects, urban designers and developers.

‘The West Bay district of Doha is not very pedestrian-friendly and so it has become a car dominated area. We need to encourage people to spend less time in their cars and more time outside enjoying the city, especially when the weather is cool,’ Makower said.

Makower explained to the audience that the Heart of Doha, the Arup/Edaw master plan being developed by Dohaland, was an example of how Doha could use design and architecture to make places pedestrian-friendly and attractive to Qatari families.

Dohaland’s focus on architecture and green building development is in alignment with it mission to lead and inspire property development in Qatar, and empower the human potential to grow and flourish. It aims to enhance and contribute to the social dynamism, cultural heritage and quality of life in the Qatari capital.

He told the conference that he admired Beirut’s regenerated city centre, known as the ‘Solidere’ where buildings have been designed to border streets with arcade frontages on the ground floor to create an active street level environment.

Makower said he favoured tight urban blocks that provide shade and give priority to pedestrians. ‘It is important to look at how buildings can work together. Buildings that work in isolation and shout “look at me” do not help to create great cities,’ he remarked.

‘The Heart of Doha has beautifully designed compact city neighbourhoods, which favour and promote the pedestrian. The richness of the public realm will ensure that people will enjoy walking in the city centre through the day with the architecture designed to keep the streets as cool as possible. People will have the conveniences of modern life. They will have cars but will use them less and less,’ Makower added.

He said family homes will be within easy and pleasant walking distance of schools, shops, public spaces, mosques and other cultural activities. Residences are also arranged around a communal courtyard garden in intimate clusters of family homes, which form the nucleus of a new community, he explained.

Makower said he admired the recent refurbishment of the Souk Waqif, which has brought the old souk back to its former glory. Makower added that heart of Doha would take the process of reflecting Qatari heritage and culture in its architecture a step further by finding a new synthesis between traditional and contemporary design.

Allies and Morrison opened an office in Doha in the summer and over the last three years has developed the ‘Architectural Guidelines’ for the Heart of Doha besides designing several of the phase one buildings.-TradeArabia News Service