Leading architects and designers from the region as well as the UK will battle it out to win the Unlimited Doha Design Prize organised by the British Council with its strategic partners Qatar Museums and the Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.

A total of 21 contestants have been shortlisted including five from Qatar, six from the GCC and 10 from the UK.

These architects will be developing the concepts of their designs, and going through various educational activities, before their final submission of drawings, models, photographs, films or documents, said a statement from the British Council.

Unveiling the contest details, Frank Fitzpatrick, British Council Director in Qatar pointed out that the 21 cherry-picked submissions demonstrated high level of creativity and professionalism and that being shortlisted was an achievement in itself for the entries.

“The winning team will be awarded a grant of £15,000 ($21,000) to further develop the project proposal,” stated Fitzpatrick.
 
He said the residency will take place from March 18 to 26 and added that the levels of innovation and creativity reflected the dynamic architecture sector in the Gulf region in general and Qatar in particular.  
 
“This year’s event is focused on mobility within the city, and in particular on how designers can improve the experience of movement, thereby ensuring that buildings and public realms are accessible to all,” remarked Fitzpatrick.

“They will work in teams to research and explore the theme of ‘The Open City’ and develop new ideas and innovative design solutions that will improve the experience of movement and accessibility in the 21st century city,” he added.
 
Explaining the goals of the exciting initiative, Fitzpatrick said that British Council and its partners seek to nurture and exchange ideas that could pioneer new approaches and innovative design solutions which could impact the future development of Qatar and beyond.
 
‏Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud, the acting chief executive of Qatar Museums, said the Unlimited Doha Design Prize will serve as an ideal platform to support the next generation of cultural audiences and generate a national spirit of participation and also inspire audiences and producers of the future.

"This also aligns with our purpose as an organisation to be a cultural stimulator as far as creativity is concerned," he added.

Ghanim Al Kuwari, the competition venues executive director, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: "The prize provides a great opportunity to develop inclusive designs, a core value at the SC, to ensure our commitment to creating an integrated and accessible approach to our designs for the tournament and for the legacy of the 2022 Fifa World Cup."

"The Unlimited Doha Design Prize will serve as a hub for incubating ideas in various sectors of Qatari industry and society," he added.
 
Abdulla Al Kaarani, the director at Urban Planning Department, Ministry of Municipality and Environment, said: "Our responsibility is to align the undergoing projects happening in Doha with our comprehensive urban plan. The prize will help us look into the distinctive quality from the various architects and designers from the region as well as from the UK."

"We will identify the type of orientation and training needed for our national architects to excel in their work. The week-long residency is a creative idea to encourage the youth to innovate for Qatar," he added.

“Participants will get a chance to develop their creative thinking and ideas following an on-site brief, whilst also building knowledge and creating international networks," remarked Dr Waseem Kotoub, the head of arts and creativity at British Council.

"A key benefit of the design-residency is the collaborative environment it generates for the sharing of knowledge, skills and insights between UK and Gulf designers and between different specialists and disciplines. All participants will benefit from a wider educational programme of associated lectures and events, he added.-TradeArabia News Service