Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q

Al Bayt

Stadium

Al Bayt Stadium, located in Al Khor (35 km north of Doha), is instantly recognisable, thanks to its design based on a Bedouin tent – bayt al sha’ar or ‘house of hair’. The tent structure covers the entire stadium, and honours Qatar’s past and present while also looking to the future. The tent structure provides shading via lightweight canopies which stretch out towards the pitch, joined by a retractable roof system and cooling technologies. These features allow for comfortable temperatures inside without using extra power. Al Bayt Stadium has already received a Class A* rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System. Outside the stadium, parks and greenery feature in the surrounding precinct’s design plan, with grass and trees alongside lakes and water features – the outdoor space is equal to the size of 30 football pitches. Fans will approach the stadium on tree-lined walkways before entering the traditional-meets-modern piece of architecture. The upgraded road system means shorter journey times and a smaller environmental impact, although there will be extensive taxi and bus facilities to minimise the number of vehicles on local roads. In legacy mode, the upper tier of modular design seating, almost half of the 60,000 capacity, will be removed and donated to developing nations. The upper area of the stadium will be converted into a five-star hotel, and a shopping centre, food court, gym and multipurpose hall will be incorporated into the venue, as well as a branch of Aspetar, Qatar’s premier sports medicine facility. The stadium will host the opening match of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and fixtures through to the semi-finals. It was inaugurated 30 November 2021 for the opening match of the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™.