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LoginDoha Design District Explores Evolution of Placemaking in Qatar
Doha, August 23 (QNA) - Doha Design District, powered by Msheireb Properties, hosted a talk titled "Between Space and Place" as part of its "Design Talks" series, bringing together leading specialists and academics.
The talk explored the concept of placemaking, its evolution in Qatar over the years, and the relationship between people, the built environment, and the places they live in and interact with, with a focus on the cultural, social, and environmental factors that contribute to shaping the identity of a place.
HE Deputy CEO of Exhibitions, Public Art and Rubaiya at Qatar Museums (QM), Sheikha Reem Al-Thani, discussed the organic nature of placemaking, explaining that successful places can evolve over time through the interaction between planning, community needs, and the ways people choose to live in and use their surroundings.
"There are certain things that can be planned for, but there are also neighbourhoods that have developed organically around the communities that already exist within them. We may begin with housing and then return to the area to introduce green spaces or create new market areas. What was not originally conceived as a particular destination can gradually become a vibrant, living place because people settle there, interact with it and create a genuine need for it", she explained.
For her part, Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at Qatar University (QU), Dr Hameda Yousef Janahi, explored placemaking through the lens of Doha's traditional Fereej neighborhoods and the principles of Arab-Islamic urbanism, highlighting how the layered nature of traditional urban environments created rich and diverse experiences, encouraging interaction between different segments of society while responding to cultural, social, and environmental needs.
Dr Samie Kayani, Sustainable Urbanism Specialist at Earthna, Qatar Foundation (QF), presented several case studies from Earthna, highlighting the importance of understanding the meaning of place within its wider environmental, cultural, and social context.
Kayani stressed that placemaking is not a fixed formula, but rather an ongoing evolution of ideas shaped by the changing ways in which people understand and interact with their surroundings.
It is noteworthy that the talk brought together leading specialists from the Ministry of Municipality, QM, QU, and Earthna by QF. (QNA)
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