WS Atkins and Partners
Burns and McDonnell Inc
Arata Isozaki
Halcrow Yolles/RHWL

Qatar National Convention Centre

Doha - Qatar - 2011

Taking glass and aluminium designs to new heights - and widths: architect Arata Isozaki clearly had a vision in mind when drawing the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). The 250-metre-wide glass façade by Reynaers Aluminium allows daylight to enter abundantly in this spacious meeting place. As a result, visitors enjoy conferences, concerts, and gala events comfortably, even in the boiling Doha sun.

The impressive convention centre is located in the middle of Doha, Qatar since 2011. When you approach the four-storey main building, your gaze immediately drifts to its front halls. A gigantic curved steel Sidra tree - fittingly, a Qatari symbol of congregation - supports the roof, while the 250-metre-wide glass façade reflects the surrounding environment.

ConceptSystem 68 Windows, ConceptSystem 59Pa Windows and ConceptWall 50 Façades - Congress center Qatar National Convention Centre located in Doha, Qatar

The enormous glass façade of the QNCC features our ConceptWall 50 solutions. The system allows for heights up to 15 metres without additional support, creating super-size windows of opportunity.

Creating space with Reynaers Aluminium façades

When you enter the Convention Centre, the first thing you will feel is a sense of spaciousness. Large, high, and transparent glass components fill the hall to the brim with natural daylight. In fact, the glass features are composed of project-specific variants of our ConceptWall 50 system, a curtain wall solution known for its big glass panes and slim aluminium profiles. It brings in the maximum amount of light, but keeps unwanted heat or cold out.

The Reynaers Aluminium ConceptWall 50 system brings in the maximum amount of daylight, all while keeping out the extreme heat and cold.

The façade solutions cover a surface of 5,500 square metres in total - that is about the size of a football field. The Centre sports ConceptSystem 59 Parallel (Pa) windows as well. We designed this non-insulated system to withstand challenging conditions in warmer climates, such as Doha’s, effortlessly. Its burglar-proof performance adds an extra layer of security to the public venue: visitors can now enjoy events in full comfort and safety.

Taking the LEED in sustainability

But the QNCC not only looks amazing, it also offers some impressive eyecatchers in terms of sustainability. As the Centre is located in the middle of a Middle Eastern peninsula, topics such as economical water and energy consumption are of major importance here. Not surprisingly, the designers of the building thought so as well.

For example, 3,500 square metres of solar panels provide for more than twelve percent of the Centre’s total energy use. Energy-efficient LED lighting in the exhibition halls do also fit in the QNCC’s green mindset. Thanks to these and many other sustainability efforts, the project received a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC). This means no false promises, only certified green structures.