An aerial view of the stadium, which has been dubbed “Diamond in the Desert” for the façade’s diamond-like triangular patterns that sparkle in the sun.
Senior partner Mark Fenwick of the Madrid-based Fenwick Iribarren Architects, which designed the project, said that Qatar was adamant in the need for sustainable design from the very beginning. “Qatar is a harsh climate, and therefore it is not as easy to make sustainable buildings as it is in milder climates,” says Fenwick. “But the final result is excellent.” Fenwick should know, as his firm is an expert in designing soccer stadiums, including three out of eight venues at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. “Obviously, stadiums are massive iconic buildings. I like to say they are the cathedrals of this era,” says Fenwick.
The major focus of the design revolved around the sun, sand, and wind. “From the very early sketches, we wanted to have a stadium which mitigated the wind in the interior,” says Fenwick. “Aerodynamic design of the shape of the stadium facilitated the movement of the desert wind, and we were able to prove, with computer analysis, that minimum wind entered the stadium. This guarantees that the cold air from the cooling would not be lost.”