Doha Tower, a.k.a Burj Qatar, shortlisted for $1m architecture award

One of Qatar’s most iconic buildings has been shortlisted for a prestigious international architecture award.

The easily recognised Doha Tower, also known as Burj Qatar, has been listed among 19 buildings to be chosen as finalists for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

In a statement, organisers explained that the honour is bestowed on “projects that set new standards of excellence in architecture, planning practices, historic preservation and landscape architecture”. The award is given every three years.

Also in the line-up is a mixture of architecture, including a power station in the Azeri city of Baku, a pedestrian bridge in Tehran, a nature conservation centre in Jordan, a floating school in Nigeria and the King Fahad National Library in Riyadh.

The 49-story, $1,235m tower, which sits in a prominent position on Doha’s Corniche was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel Ateliers, and was among 348 entries initially nominated for the prize.

A nine-member master jury of international architects, structural engineers and conservation specialists are presently examining the contestants, the winner of which will win $1m in prize money.

The building took seven years to build for Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Thani, and was completed in 2012, winning numerous architecture and design awards in the past, including Best Tall Building in the World by Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) in 2012, Doha News reports.

The burj is a glass and concrete cylinder wrapped in a protective steel mashrabiyya which, depending on the orientation of the building, the concentration of coverage of the metal lace-like grid varies.

The award was established by the Aga Khan nearly 40 years ago, to recognise and inspire building concepts that effectively address the needs and objectives of communities in which Muslims have a substantial presence.

Since the first awards in 1977, 110 projects have received the award and more than 9,000 building projects have been documented.

Courtesy: constructionweekonline.com