Three Middle East Megaprojects Tipped to Revolutionise the Region in Coming Years
The Middle East region is home to some of the world’s most ambitious construction projects, from the Burj Khalifa standing sentinel over Dubai to the purpose-built NEOM city being constructed in the north-west of Saudi Arabia. Operations of this scale show no signs of slowing down, with long-term megaprojects continuing to be green-lit across the region.
The tourism economy is of growing importance throughout the Middle East; for our latest blog post, we have taken a closer look at three events and projects that will draw worldwide attention and attract new visitors in coming years.
The World Expo has long since been regarded as a valuable regional showcase, and Dubai are promising to ‘astonish the world’ when their turn comes around in October next year.
The United Arab Emirates will play host to approximately 180 countries with Expo 2020, and more than 25 million worldwide visitors are expected to attend the six-month showcase of global innovation and technology.
From a construction perspective, Expo 2020 will demonstrate some of the most striking design and architectural work the world has to offer. More than 180 individual country pavilions will be featured, with the 69-metre-high Al Wasl Plaza (shown below) acting as the centrepiece of the event. We’ve already covered some of the most striking national pavilion designs that have been confirmed so far.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that the Expo will deliver a GDP increase for the United Arab Emirates, and the long-term tourism benefits may also prove to be far-reaching.
IMAGE SOURCE: CIMOLAI
The 22nd edition of the world’s premier football showcase will be held in the Middle East for the first time, and extensive new infrastructure will be required to bring the event to life. Seven new state-of-the-art stadiums are being built to host the event, with designers drawing upon aspects of Qatari culture in their work.
The Al Bayt Stadium, pictured above, has been styled to pay homage to traditional Bedouin tents used by nomadic peoples throughout the country’s history. The nearby Al Thumama Stadium, pictured below, is heavily inspired by the woven patterns of a gahfiya, a traditional hat worn by Muslim men.
Qatar 2022 will be the first winter World Cup, as temperatures often average 42 degrees Celsius during the Qatari summer. Even though the event will be hosted in winter, innovative stadium cooling technology will still be implemented for the comfort of players and fans. The World Cup is watched by billions of fans across the globe, and the 2022 event carries significant tourism potential for Qatar and the Middle East in general.
IMAGE SOURCE: DESIGNBUILD NETWORK
Doha Metro Transit System
Phase 1 to be Operational by Late 2019
Doha, Qatar
IMAGE SOURCE: CONSTRUCTION WEEK ONLINE
A vital piece of infrastructure for supporting the World Cup will be the Doha Metro, which will be regarded as one of the world’s most technologically advanced transit systems when it is put into operation. With an estimated total cost of $36 billion, the Doha Metro will service the capital and surrounding areas with more than 300km of track and 100 stations. The system was commissioned to account for a growing population in the greater Doha region, and three of the four lines will be operational well before the World Cup kicks off.
The metro system will feature the fastest driverless trains in the region when opened to the public, with carriages able to reach speeds of 100 km/h. Doha Metro will make use of 75 trains, each divided into Gold, Family and Standard Class categories for every journey.
Outstanding public transport options are vital for any growing city, and the Doha Metro looks certain to serve the Qatari capital well in the long-term.
IMAGE SOURCE: DOHA NEWS
Reach Out to Exactal’s Middle East Team in Dubai
The Middle East region is home to some of the most exciting construction projects on the horizon, both at a large and small scale. Exactal established a dedicated UAE office in 2018, in an effort to build new connections and provide timely support for our construction estimating clients in the region. Our CostX® estimates software has been designed to support quantity surveyors and estimators hoping to innovative with their work.
To organise a CostX® demonstration from our Middle East team, don’t hesitate to send them an email or give them a call on +971 4 550 9358.
