THE PATTERN OF URBAN VOIDS IN DOHA NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

The extensive expansion in terms of economy, policies, and society in Qatar demands an increase of equal extent/scale on the building and infrastructure to accommodate the growth that is happening and that is expected to happen. The expansion seeks to compete with the global economic superpowers and the regional demands for socio-economic and socio-political stability. However, growth and development brought some undesirable side effects. One issue that rapid urban development brought with it is the existence of negative spaces within the city - underutilized voids that remain unused or occasionally misused between urban elements. A rapidly growing city as prosperous as Doha has many urban voids in its neighborhoods, even in its most populous and dynamic parts. As leftover spaces are perceived as a disadvantage to the economic health of the neighborhood they belong to since they devalue the image of the city, understanding their presence and persistence in critical areas like the Al Mirqab, West Bay, and The Pearl in Doha could be beneficial for any urban projects. The study analyses the presence and persistence of urban voids in Al Mirqab, The West Bay, and The Pearl using a combination of qualitative and quantitative data analysis. A survey of literature on these neighborhoods, actual site visits, measurements, and visual examinations were employed to gather qualitative information about these neighborhoods. A combination of urban morphology analysis, land use analysis, and building height analysis was conducted in all neighborhoods to identify patterns, designs, and structural/architectural repetitions indicative of how the urban voids developed and persisted within these neighborhoods.