The project is a prayer ground in downtown Doha on a site where Eid prayers have traditionally been performed; below the site is an underground cooling plant, designed by Arup Engineering, that serves the entire downtown district. To orientate the open square exactly towards the qibla, the outer walls were dimensioned to contain ramps and stairs within them; toilets and facilities for ablutions are also contained in the outer walls, as well as exhaust towers for the underground cooling plant. The main entrance is through a colonnaded loggia. Local limestone is the principal building material, with granite for the stairs and ramps; the glass-reinforced concrete panels used for infill are staggered and recessed to allow for natural ventilation.
Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
