Impact of Tall Buildings on Urban Habitat - تأثير المباني العالية على البيئة الحضرية

1. CTBUH-Qatar - Regional Seminar at Qatar University
5 December, 2011
Impact of Tall Buildings on Urban Habitat
Dr. Yasser Mahgoub

2. Introduction
• Tall Buildings, in name and
social function, is a modern
expression of the age-old
symbol of a pillar that
connects earth to heaven
and the four compass
directions to one another.
Giza Pyramids, Egypt
Shibam, Yemen Mayan temples in Tikal, Guatamala

3. Introduction
• Tall Buildings, in name and
social function, is a modern
expression of the age-old
symbol of a pillar that
connects earth to heaven
and the four compass
directions to one another.

4. Introduction
• Aside from satisfying functional and
economic needs, tall buildings are
becoming symbols of modernization,
development, and globalization.
• They are sources of national pride
and cultural identity expressing
globalization and economic
prosperity.
• In the Gulf region, they pose several
challenges to integrate them with the
urban fabric of emerging cities.
• They became iconic landmarks that
captured public and international
attention, regardless of their function
and use.

5. Introduction
• There is a “love-hate”
relationship with tall
buildings that cannot be
ignored.
• Are they build for “function”
or “fashion”, “use” or “u-
see”, “feasibility” or
“visibility”, regardless of
cost(s) involved in building
them!?
• Changes made by tall
buildings are permanent and
lasting. There is increasing
concern among professional
of the impact of tall
buildings on urban
habitat.

6. Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
?

7. Number

10. Tall Buildings - World

11. Tall Buildings - Middle East

12. Tall Buildings - Gulf

13. Current Tallest
Dubai
Taipei
Shanghai

14. Future Tall
KSA
Dubai
Mumbai

15. Location
x8
1/5
x4

16. Material
1/7

17. Function
Residential

18. Tall buildings in the Gulf region
• According to the CTBUH, one quarter of the world's
future tallest building projects will be based within
the Middle East region, specifically Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Dubai
and Abu Dhabi.
Future Plan Of Dubai The Pearl, Doha

19. Trends and Future of Vertical
Structures in the Middle East
• Tall buildings in emerging cities of the Middle East are
statements of modernity, globalization and economic
prosperity.

20. Trends of Vertical Structures in the Middle East
• Western Vs Middle East Tall Buildings Trends:
From Chicago and New York to Dubai, Riyadh, Kuwait
and Abu Dhabi.
The Willis Tower, Chicago John Hancock, Chicago Burj Khalifa, Dubai Capital gate, Abu Dhabi

21. Trends of Vertical Structures in the Middle East
• Western Vs Middle East Tall Buildings Trends:
From Chicago and New York to Dubai, Riyadh, Kuwait
and Abu Dhabi.
Burgan Tower, Kuwait Burj Qatar, Doha The Empire State, NY Chrysler Building, NY

22. Trends and Future of Vertical
Structures in the Middle East
• Tall buildings in the Middle East often carry a
connotation of pride and achievement.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai World's Biggest Clock in Mecca

23. Dubai

24. Dubai

25. Doha

26. Mecca

37. Doha – 1947

38. Doha from 1980 to 2010

39. Doha from 1980 to 2010

40. Doha Skyline Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall
Development
Doha skyline, 1960
Doha skyline, 2005
Doha skyline 2007
Doha skyline 2010

41. +Doha City Tall Buildings +200m
• Careful thought is needed to integrate tall buildings through
identifying appropriate locations that harmonize the existing form of
the city in a way not to harm the historic buildings.

42. 1 (300m)

43. 2 (245m)

44. 3 (245m)

45. 4 (232m)

46. 5 (227m)

47. 6 (220m)

48. 7 (220m)

49. 8 (215m)

50. 9 (208m)

51. 10 (200m)
(Tornado Tower)

52. Future Doha City image

53. Tall buildings codes development
History of Qatar regulation for law rise building:
• Legislation on number of issues has already been passed
through the period of 1970-1990. As the following:
• 1975 Law is related to commercial, industrial and
public buildings.
• 1974 Law related to general cleanliness.
• 1985 Law related to controlling buildings.
• 1989 Law related to precautions to be taken for
public safety to avoid hazards from building construction.
• 1989 Law related to technical and architectural specifications
for buildings.
• 1989 Law related to the transport of solid and liquid waste
• Regulations for Flats and Flat Complexes (Draft)
• Regulations for Villa and Villa Complexes (Draft)
• Qatar Commercial Development Manual (Draft)

54. Tall buildings codes development
• Regulation for Tall building in Qatar in West Bay business and
commercial districts:
• Legislation on a number of issues has already been passed through
the period of 1990-2010, as follows:
– Towers height ranged between 15-56 floors.
– The setbacks surrounding the towers should be six meter from each
side.
– Glazing could not exceed 60% and the type of glazing is double glazed
about 12mm.
– Parking capacity depends on the use of the tall buildings as
commercial or residential.
– For Commercial and business offices that each 25m square there is one
car parking .
– For residential is for each three apartments there should be one parking.
– Basements ranges from three to four basements from 2000m square
to 3000m square.

55. Tall buildings in Doha
– 1982, Doha Sheraton Hotel..
– 1996, Salam Towers.
– 2000, Al-Sulaiti Tower and Barazn Tower.
– 2001 Ministry of Interior Tower.
– 2002, Al-Waqf Tower.
– 2003, Gulf Tower, Bilal Suites and Qatar Olympics Committee.
– 2004, Al-Sulaiti Tower II , Al-Faisal Towers West , Four Seasons Hotel Doha,
Doha Tower, Falcon Tower, Al-Pearl Tower and Qatar Telecom Headquarters.
– 2006, Alwosail Tower, Commercial Plaza tower, QIC tower, Al Othman Tower, Al-
Amwal commercial Tower, Dolphin Tower and Al-Dafna Tower.

56. Tall buildings in Doha
– 2007, Al-Reem Tower, Movien Pick residence & suites, Al-Fardan 2, Al-Fardan
Tower 1 and Al-Jazeera Tower .
– 2008, Golden Tower, Lagoon Plaza Tower 1 & 2.
– Beach Tower, Merweb Hotel,Rotana Hotel, Navigation Tower,Shangri-La Hotel,
Tornado Tower, Marriott Courtyard Hotel and Marriott Renaissance Hotel.
– 2009, Al-Refaa Residential Tower, W Doha Hotel & Residence, Nakheel Tower,
RasGas Tower, Al-Bidda Tower, Al-Faradan Residences and Hilton Doha Hotel.
– 2010, Palm Towers 1 & 2, Al-Faisal Tower and Burj Qatar.
– 2011, Silhouette Towers.
– 2012, Dubai Towers Doha and Bin Samikh Tower.
– 2013, Doha Convention Center Tower.

58. Location of <100m Towers in Doha
Lagoon Plaza Towers
Al Faisal Tower
Beach Tower Navigation Tower
Palm Tower 1 & 2
Burj Qatar
Commercial Bank Plaza Tower Al Bida Tower
Aspire Tower

59. Location of <200m Towers in Doha
Al Faisal Tower
Beach Tower Navigation Tower
Palm Tower 1 & 2
Burj Qatar
Commercial Bank Plaza Tower Al Bida Tower
Aspire Tower

60. Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall
Doha skyline 2011

61. Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall

62. Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall

63. Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall

64. Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall

65. Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall

66. Shaping the Skyline by Building Tall

67. Introduction
FAR=1 FAR=1
FAR & Floors
Floors=1 Floors=50

68. Introduction
FAR=1 FAR= X
FAR & Floors
Floors=10-20 Floors= 50

69. Introduction
FAR=1 FAR= ?
FAR & Floors
Floors=10 Floors= 10-50

70. Introduction
FAR= ? FAR= X
FAR & Floors
Floors= 10-50 Floors= 50

71. Tall Buildings: Advantages and
Disadvantages

78. Street Activities
• Tall buildings create a hostile urban canyon that
prevents visual and functional continuity between
different parts of the city.

79. Spatial Continuity
• Also, an important connection between tall
buildings and the city is how they prohibit or
allow for spatial continuity between different
buildings.

85. Conclusion
• Tall buildings can
help create awareness
of our lifestyles and
patterns of
consumption negative
impacts on the
environment.
• Tall buildings make a
big, visible public
statements of
sustainability.

86. Towards Sustainable Tall Buildings.
• Tall buildings make a
big, visible public
statements of
sustainability; i.e.
incorporation of wind
turbines, green
facades and roofs,
cultural references
and materials
selection.

88. Creating Commercially and Culturally Viable
Buildings
• With 800 tower projects
expected to be completed
over the next decade in
the Middle East, it is
important to retain a
sense of cultural identity
and heritage.

89. Creating Commercially and Culturally Viable
Buildings
• This can be achieved by
developing projects with a sense
of community, based on
modern urban living concepts
where traditional Arabic
architecture is combined with
sophisticated technologies
that enable a sustainable
outcome.
• Future generations might judge
our tall building strategies as
fashion and branding.

90. Think
• The trend to construct tall
buildings may be driven
both by pragmatism and
desire for distinction.
• When it comes to building
tall structures, the
physical construction of
the building is not
particularly difficult.
• We could keep building
floor after floor until we
reach the moon.

91. Realize
Whilst technology may
enable us to build tall, the
fundamental question is
should we continue to
build tall, if yes then
how!

92. THANK YOU
Cities