UNstudio has completed the first phase of the Doha Metro Network, consisting of three lines (red, green, and gold) and 37 new stations. The stations' modular structures are inspired by the caravanserai, buildings for travellers and traders, typical of Persian culture. The driverless metro system is among the fastest in the world. This operation represents a significant investment favoring public transportation in a city where the private car dominates.
The Dutch studio, which initiated the project since 2012, has also produced a branding manual for the new system with the Qatar Rail Architecture Department. This document sets out design guidelines (down to architectural details) for future projects to ensure that the metro network's spatial quality and identity are maintained.
Mobility in Chain collaborated on the construction of the network, particularly the study of flows, a practice that deals with the planning of transport systems with offices in Milan, Moscow, and New York.
- Project:
- Qatar Integrated Railway (QIRP)
- Location:
- Doha, Qatar
- Architect:
- UNstudio
- Project team:
- Ben van Berkel, with Arjan Dingsté, Nuno Almeida, Marianthi Tatari and René Rijkers, Jaap-Willem Kleijwegt, Tom Minderhoud, Maurizio Papa, Juergen Heinzel, Rob Henderson, Ariane Stracke, and Wael Batal, Thomas van Bekhoven, Ergin Birinci, William de Boer, Sean Buttigieg, Rodrigo Cañizares, Eric Caspers, Konstantinos Chrysos, Marc Hoppermann, Sebastian Janusz, Nemanja Kordić, Dennis Krassenburg, Samuel Liew, Guomin Lin, Chiara Marchionni, Alberto Martinez, Gerben Modderman, Martin Neumann, Patrik Noome, Kristoph Nowak, Bruno Peris, Marcos Polydorou, Clare Porter, Attilio Ranieri, Stefano Rocchetti, Thys Schreij, Georgios Siokas, Luke Tan, Yi-Ju Tseng, Menno Trautwein, Gerasimos Vamvakidis, Laertis Vassiliou, Sander Versluis, Philip Wilck, JooYoun Yoon, Martin Zangerl, Shuang Zhang, Meng Zhao, Jennifer Zitner, Seyavash Zohoori
- Structures and MEP:
- RHDHV
- Lighting engineering:
- AG Licht
- Wayfinding:
- Mijksenaar
- Passenger flow analysis:
- MIC – Mobility in Chain
- Facade engineering:
- Inhabit
- Acoustic Engineering:
- Arup
- Fire and life safety:
- AECOM
- Technical Landscape Advice:
- AECOM
- Completion (first phase):
- 2019