The stadium will feature the innovative and sustainable cooling technology being delivered by the SC and its stakeholders
By Joey Aguilar
Staff Reporter
Sustainability is at the heart of the design of Al Rayyan Stadium, the fifth proposed host venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has said.
At an unveiling ceremony yesterday, SC noted that 90% of the materials from the deconstruction of Al Rayyan Sports Club’s former stadium (Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium) would be reused.
SC disclosed that local and international artists will use some of the materials to create public artworks which reflect the history of Al Rayyan Sports Club.
The stadium’s state-of-art design will also actively reduce its carbon footprint and precinct through on-site renewable energy, lightweight building design, careful selection of materials, and both energy and water efficiency measures.
Al Rayyan Stadium is designed with the goal of certification under both the Global Sustainability Assessment System and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ratings.
The stadium and surrounding precinct will contain facilities and features that will be used by the local population. These include a mosque, a members’ club, an athletics track, a cricket pitch, tennis courts, a hockey pitch, football training pitches, an aquatics centre, a skate park and a cycling track. The precinct also will have a new Aspetar sports medicine hospital.
“Unveiling the design of Al Rayyan stadium is another important step forward in our preparations to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We will continue to work tirelessly as our vision for the tournament takes shape on the ground,” said SC secretary general Hassan al-Thawadi in a speech.
“As one of the most successful and widely-supported clubs in Qatar, Al Rayyan has always played an important part in our hosting plans. We are very confident that this impressively designed stadium and precinct will become a landmark for the Al Rayyan area and benefit the entire community,” al-Thawadi added.
The stadium will accommodate 40,000 spectators during tournament mode to be able to host group stage, round-of-16 and quarter-final matches.
After the prestigious tournament, its capacity will be reduced to 21,000 in legacy mode with the upper tier of seats being removed and sent to developing nations in need of sports infrastructure.
The stadium will feature the innovative and sustainable cooling technology being delivered by the SC and its stakeholders. This will ensure comfortable viewing conditions for fans and an optimal playing temperature for players during the legacy use of the stadium for domestic competitions, international matches and tournaments hosted in Qatar throughout the year.
“Al Rayyan’s sporting heritage and Qatar’s environment is reflected in the design of the stadium,” the SC stressed in a statement.
The stadium’s facade will feature a multitude of local patterns and designs, which draw on Qatari culture. Featuring an innovative exterior design, it aims to create a sense of place unique to Al Rayyan in particular and more generally to the culture of Qatar and the Middle East.
Most of the hospitality and service areas will be located outside the stadium in dune-like structures, which resemble the sand dunes that surround traditional desert tents.
“We are proud and delighted to be part of delivering one of the proposed host venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, since Al Rayyan Sports Club has played a major role in the history of football in Qatar,” said HE Sheikh Saud bin Khalid bin Hamad al-Thani, chairman of Al Rayyan Sports Club.
An artist’s rendition of Al Rayyan Stadium.
