Architecture, Art & Beyond

A note on the concept design reflecting the local culture and heritage.

The form of the City University College (CUC), building is inspired by the traditional Qatari house. The features of a traditional Qatari house of a central courtyard with a central water feature is at the heart of the design of this building. The building is designed with the functional rooms overlooking the shaded courtyard and a physical and visual relief. All seminar rooms facing the courtyard have openable windows to allow for natural ventilation.

The CUC courtyard imbibes the values of the traditional residential courtyard. A traditional courtyard is used for resting, family meeting and activities, usually around a water body, similarly the CUC courtyard inculcates these functionalities. The central water feature creates a micro climate within the courtyard thus making the space habitable for the inhabitants of the building throughout the day. The CUC courtyard has seating around the water feature and various other benches along the landscape areas. The design encourages people to use the courtyard as a meeting, discussion and creative space. At one end of the courtyard is the amphitheater for performances and lectures, etc.

The CUC Courtyard is shaded to keep out the harsh sun and allow usage of the space throughout the day. This achieved through the PVC membrane fixed to the steel canopy structure above the courtyard. The membrane structure is inspired by the shape of the roof of Bedouin tents in Qatar.  

The façade design of CUC is inspired by the traditional architecture of Qatar. Traditionally the building façade was developed with vertical elements through all floors separated by narrow windows. The CUC façade incorporates this essence of design with GRC vertical elements separated by windows. This forms large part of three main façade of the building, the front façade, rear façade and the central façade overlooking the courtyard. The façade design of the building was carefully done to imbibe the traditional architecture and at the same time blend the modern. The modern curtain wall elements thus were separated from the traditional with large blank wall with sandstone cladding.

The colour of the building cladding and GRC elements are also designed to resonate the colours of the traditional buildings. The beige stone with textured finish furthermore is a homage to the traditional architecture of Qatar.

The front façade is adorned by the main entrance feature that is inspired by the national bird of Qatar, the Falcon. The feature is an artist’s representation of a falcon in flight as seen from the front, with their wings stretched and heads proudly high above the building. The small fenestration dotted throughout the feature represent the patterns of the Falcon’s feathers. This further emphasized that CUC’s architectural design is deeply ingrained with tradition and culture of Qatar.