Msheireb Properties Signs Landmark Partnership with Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Doha, May 17 (QNA)- In a landmark commitment to regional and international knowledge sharing, Msheireb Properties (formerly Dohaland) on Tuesday announced a pioneering agreement with the Harvard University Graduate School of Design to launch a research project for a holistic, cross-disciplinary, trans-national study focusing on sustainable urbanism in the Gulf region.
The first of its kind in the region, the research will culminate in creating a Gulf Encyclopedia for Sustainable Urbanism (GESU) and pave the way to establishing a regional base research facility in Qatar, said a press release issued by Msheireb Properties here today.
Expected to be completed in three phases (Past, Present, and Future), the GESU project will draw on the region s environment (both land and sea), its urbanism and architecture, and its society, culture and economics. The project, to be funded by Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation, will also involve researchers from the countries that border the Gulf.
Eng. Issa M. Al Mohannadi, CEO of Msheireb Properties said, "We strongly believe that future urban growth can be positively affected by learning from the past, while acknowledging that the present is shaped by forces resulting from future projections and aspirations. Hence we feel it is important to analyse and understand how our ancestors dealt with common regional urban sustainability challenges and draw lessons from them.
The partnership with Harvard is part of our commitment to highlight on a global scale the importance of sustainability to the future of our region. As a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation and its emphasis on knowledge sharing, the initiative provides the foundation for the adoption of research-based approach and institutionalisation of the methodologies that can be used to create sustainable cities that can react to the local climate, and develop a self-sufficient future encompassing the environmental, economic, and social dimensions. The legacy is also a reflection of the global role that Qatar plays in leading the debate on global sustainability."
The study was initiated to address the lack of written resources on the subject which became apparent during Msheireb Properties initial research into reliable sources on the local architectural language for its signature project, Msheireb. A dialogue began on the importance of documenting urban design and architecture for the cities around the Gulf, with their shared similar climatic and cultural conditions throughout their histories.
The similarities, differences, and interconnections among the eight countries that border the Gulf Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iran and Iraq - have not been previously investigated in such a comprehensive study. Msheireb Properties Signs Landmark Partnership with Harvard University Graduate School of Design/1/

The initial research is seen as vital for the region s coastal strips, despite diverse environmental and socio-economic conditions, the countries share the coastal zone of the Gulf, thus having a direct impact on each other. The Gulf region is on a key geopolitical location, amidst global trade routes and with substantial natural resources, making the long-term sustainability of its urban environment crucial.
As seen in the company s Msheireb project, the past will be analyzed to help answer how urban growth can cope with environmental conditions and society needs, while the present is expected to be examined both for deviation of local traditions together with the new cosmopolitan culture in the region.
The Harvard Principal Investigator on the research project, Professor Spiro Pollalis (Professor of Design, Technology and Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Design) said, "This is a unique opportunity for a focused and meaningful study of the past to better inform the future growth of urban settlements in the region.
The dynamism of the Gulf makes it a beacon for global urban development, which will make this research applicable beyond its geographical boundaries." Professor Pollalis will lead a multi-disciplinary Harvard research team based at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. A unique set of advisors and experts both from Qatar research stakeholders and across different Harvard schools is being set up to advise the research team.
For his part, Dr. Abdelali Haoudi, Vice President for Research at Qatar Foundation said, "The research partnership demonstrates Qatar Foundation s equally strong commitment to both scientific research and to research in arts, humanities, and social studies. We are delighted about this partnership especially that several aspects of the research fit well within the strategic plan of the newly-launched Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute."
The Phase 1 historic research process will begin with research into the past role of sustainability in the Gulf region. The Phase 2 research will involve the contemporary historic present perspective, drawing relations among growth, planning, architectural, urban design, economic and socio-cultural studies. The project will generate ideas about development for the future that are friendly to the environment and fulfil the needs of the local societies.
Msheireb Properties, formerly Dohaland, was recently rebranded in a move intended to reflect the significance of its signature project Msheireb in the company's evolution, and reaffirming its local Qatari roots(QNA)