From its humble sandy-coloured low courtyard walls to magnificent steel skyscrapers, a country’s heritage and aspirations are closely reflected in its architecture. In Qatar, rapid development in recent years across various fields has left us with some truly spectacular pieces of building art. 

Dotted around the city are some unique architectural buildings that you may have spotted.

Here’s all you need to know about these memorable landmarks:

1) Crescent Tower in Lusail

Inspired by the two curved swords in the emblem of Qatar, the Crescent Tower located in Lusail stands tall. The project ‘Lusail Marina Iconic Development’ was unveiled by Qatar-based company, Katara Hospitality. It is said to contain 800 units including hotel rooms, apartments, offices, boutique retail and restaurants.

Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla, CEO of Katara Hospitality, stated that the stunning structure matches their aspiration for Katara Hospitality to become one of the world’s most recognized hospitality brand identities.

This spectacular building is set to become a leading hospitality landmark in Qatar. Integrated with landscaped gardens and rising from a podium, the building gives the impression that it is floating on the sea. The complex will look to attract travelling football fans headed to Doha for the World Cup 2022. 

1) Children's Mall Ribbon in Katara

The Children's Mall is a contemporary mall of bespoke design, created to look like a giant gift box. Located in Katara Cultural Center, a prominent tourist hub in Qatar, the project was undertaken by Frijns Steel Construction Middle East W.L.L. The biggest challenge was employing two-dimensional curve geometry to create the ribbon-shaped bow on the gift box.  

3) 2022 Building

Inaugurated on the ninth anniversary of the State of Qatar winning the hosting rights to organise the first Middle East-based World Cup, the 2022 building pays tribute to the momentous historic achievement. 

The building consists of four blocks and is stretched on an area of approximately 60,000 square meters. It is a mixed-use building that includes administrative offices, an integrated health club and a series of restaurants and cafes as well as meeting rooms and an auditorium.

The building consists of four common rectangular buildings each housing five floors, forming the number 2022 using a modern design. 

The 2022 Building is the brainchild of Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani. Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani stated that the idea had come to him on the day FIFA announced Qatar as the host of 2022 FIFA World Cup. It truly is an iconic building, marking a spectacular sporting history for Qatar.

4) Education City Mosque

The Education City Mosque is a community-focused building and can be found in the Minaretein building, one of the five large columns representing the five pillars of Islam: Shahada (profession of faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (giving alms), Sawm (fasting) and Hajj (pilgrimage).

The idea hoped to create a contemporary building that displayed the compatibility of Islam and modernity, a concept reflected in the identity of the building. The mosque can host 1,800 people in its main prayer hall and 1,000 in its exterior courtyard. It also has the facility of delivering the Friday sermon in various languages that is available on portable microphones.

“A place of faith should be embracing and invite people in, and this was our goal when we worked on the Education City Mosque,” said Ali Mangera, the designer of this architectural masterpiece, explaining how the project's mission was to make the facility welcoming to people from different backgrounds.

The Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies (QFIS), which is a chapter of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) is housed in the Minaretein building. 

Since its opening, the facility has hosted several events, offering a variety of activities for those willing to learn and gain knowledge.

5) Giant Hood in Katara

Falconry is a core cultural activity among Qatari people. The Giant Hood, located in Katara Cultural Village, is one of the most striking buildings designed to host interactive multimedia exhibits for those wanting to learn more about the rich heritage of Qatar’s falconry. 

The complex also facilitates the oldest veterinary clinic for falcons in the region. 

Qatar Society of Al-Gannas was founded in 2008 and is a cultural association for hunters dedicated to promoting traditional Arab hunting in local and international contests. It offers some of the best hunting facilities and equipment while encouraging research and studies in the field.

Qatar Society of Al-Gannas is also the main organizer for The Qatar International Falconry & Hunting Festival (Marmi).

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Image Credit:  Construction Week ; Children's Mall; 2022 Building; QF; Katara