Back

The Pearl Island

Doha, Qatar

2004 - Ongoing

Large Urban ProjectMixed UseReclaimed LandTouristic

Download

Project Description

Approach Words: Smart City, Sustainability, Vibrant City

Public Policy Instruments: Financial Mechanism, Organization, Physical Intervention, Planning, Regulatory

The Pearl Island project in Qatar is one of the largest mixed-use real estate developments in the Middle East and first urban development project offering freehold¹ ownership to the non-nationals in Qatar². The project is built on a reclaimed island³ on a former pearl diving site⁴ which extends along a site measuring 4 square kilometers⁵ located 350 meters offshore of Doha’s West Bay District⁶. Cited as “Qatar’s Riviera-style island”⁷, the project is set to develop 25,000 residential units⁸ with an estimated density of 11,250 persons per square kilometer⁹. It aims to become a destination for investors and tourists¹⁰, providing leisure, recreational, and entertainment services. The project is aligned with the vision of Qatar 2030ⁱ and the increased efforts to diversify the country’s economy ¹¹ ¹².

Title: Map shows Pearl Island districts.

Source: Click Here

Title: Aerial view showing the Pearl Island project.

Source: Click Here

Title: Aerial view of the Pearl Island project during the implementation phase.

Source: Click Here

Title: Picture showing hotel on an island at the Pearl Island project.

Source: Click Here

Title: Map shows Pearl Island districts.

Source: Click Here

Title: Aerial view showing the Pearl Island project.

Source: Click Here

Title: Aerial view of the Pearl Island project during the implementation phase.

Source: Click Here

Title: Picture showing hotel on an island at the Pearl Island project.

Source: Click Here

The project master plan features 10 districts¹³, designed in a way so that the majority of these districts have a direct connection to the waterfront¹⁴. The urban form of the districts follow a radial pattern, aiming to maximize the number of buildings with a view of the waterfront¹⁵. The master plan features residential towers with between 20 to 40 floors, villas, townhouses¹⁶, office buildings, restaurants, three luxury hotels, and three marinas that can accommodate over 700 boats¹⁷. In terms of open spaces, the island includes pedestrian-friendly squares and plazas that provide social spaces for interaction, a golf course, a waterfront walkway with retail services¹⁸, a playground and a 32 kilometer stretch of a new coastline including white sandy beaches¹⁹ ²⁰. This multipurpose project also includes public facilities such as schools, mosques, and shopping centers as well as entertainment venues and activities²¹.

In terms of sustainability, the buildings are designed for energy-efficiency. The cooling system relies on a centralized district cooling system, where the chilled water is distributed to all buildings on the island through insulated pipes, supplied by a district cooling company “Qatar Cool”. For domestic waste, the waste management system utilizes Envac vacuum waste collection system. The entire island is linked via pipes of 500mm diameter, connected to disposal points in buildings and on sidewalks. Waste is bagged and sent through these pipes to a central collection plant on the island, where it is compacted and sent to the municipal facilities for sorting and recycling²².

Owner/Developer

United Development Company (UDC)³⁸

Consultant/Designer

CallisonRTKL ³⁹

Dar ⁴⁰

Funder

United Development Company (UDC)⁴¹

Contractor/Implementer

Medco ⁴³

Construction Development Company CDC ⁴⁴

Owner/Developer

United Development Company (UDC)³⁸

Contractor/Implementer

Medco ⁴³

Construction Development Company CDC ⁴⁴

Funder

United Development Company (UDC)⁴¹

Consultant/Designer

CallisonRTKL ³⁹

Dar ⁴⁰

In terms of regulations, the Qatari government amended land regulations to permit foreigners to purchase property within the Pearl-Island development²³. Additionally, foreigners buying real estate valued at $1 million or more will be granted a real estate residency permit²⁴. Other regulations include those developed for the process of issuing resident cards, making interior modifications to properties, and general guidelines for residents²⁵.

The project is initiated by United Development Company (UDC), Qatar’s largest private sector shareholding company. The master plan for the project was proposed by CallisonRTKL²⁶ while Dar²⁷ ²⁸ led the detailed landscape design for the Pearl Island areas. The districts within the development are planned to be constructed over four phases spanning a period of five years²⁹ ³⁰. Various contractors are involved in implementing the project, including: Medco³¹ (previously known as Qatar Dredging Company- QDC), which was responsible for dredging works from 2004 to 2006; Construction Development Company CDC³²; Al-Arrab Contracting Company³³. The estimated cost of the project is $15 billion³⁴, funded by UDC³⁵ which secured a $200 million supporting loan from Commercial Bank Qatar³⁶ to support the construction. As of 2024, the Pearl Island accommodates 52,000 residents with 15 million visitors annually³⁷.

Project Link, Endnotes and References

Project Link

https://thepearlqatar.com/

Endnotes

i Qatar National Vision 2030 is a development plan launched in 2008 by the General Secretariat for Development Planning in the State of Qatar. The aim of QNV 2030 is to “transform Qatar into an advanced society capable of achieving sustainable development”. More information about the vision is available in this link: https://imo.gov.qa/state-of-qatar/qatar-national-vision-2030/#:~:text=By%202030%2C%20Qatar%20aims%20to,implementation%20plans%20can%20be%20developed. (Accessed on 6 February 2024).

References

Middle East, C. (2009). ‘The Pearl-Qatar’. Arabian Business.
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). UDC. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://udcqatar.com/Projects>
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/>
‘The Pearl – Qatar’. (n.d.). ARCADIS. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.callisonrtkl.com/projects/the-pearl-qatar-united-development-company/>
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/>
‘About UDC’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/About-UDC>
‘The Pearl Island’. (2024). Twitter. Retrieved March 3, 2024, from <https://twitter.com/ThePearlQatar>
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/Explore-the-Island/The-Pearl-Island>
Al-Amadi, D., David Major, M., Atour, Raya, Al-Ansari, D., Al-Maiki, N., Amleh, R., Mareeva, V., et al. (2023). Form and Function in The Pearl-QatarArtificial Island Development. 5 th International Conference of Contemporary Affairs in Architecture and Urbanism (ICCAUA-2022) 11-13 May 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2024, from <https://iccaua.com/PDFs/2022_Conference_fulL_book/SESSION_C_2022/ICCAUA2022EN0100_Alamadi_617-627.pdf>
‘The Pearl – Qatar’. (n.d.). ARCADIS. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.callisonrtkl.com/projects/the-pearl-qatar-united-development-company/>
‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/Pearl-Living/Corporate-Social-Responsibility>
‘The Pearl – Qatar’. (n.d.). ARCADIS. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.callisonrtkl.com/projects/the-pearl-qatar-united-development-company/>
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/Explore-the-Island/The-Pearl-Island>
Al-Amadi, D., David Major, M., Atour, Raya, Al-Ansari, D., Al-Maiki, N., Amleh, R., Mareeva, V., et al. (2023). Form and Function in The Pearl-Qatar Artificial Island Development. 5 th International Conference of Contemporary Affairs in Architecture and Urbanism (ICCAUA-2022) 11-13 May 2022.Retrieved March 3, 2024, from <https://iccaua.com/PDFs/2022_Conference_fulL_book/SESSION_C_2022/ICCAUA2022EN0100_Alamadi_617-627.pdf>
Al-Amadi, D., David Major, M., Atour, Raya, Al-Ansari, D., Al-Maiki, N., Amleh, R., Mareeva, V., et al. (2023). Form and Function in The Pearl-QatarArtificial Island Development. 5 th International Conference of Contemporary Affairs in Architecture and Urbanism (ICCAUA-2022) 11-13 May 2022.Retrieved March 3, 2024, from <https://iccaua.com/PDFs/2022_Conference_fulL_book/SESSION_C_2022/ICCAUA2022EN0100_Alamadi_617-627.pdf>
‘The Pearl’. (n.d.). dar. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.dar.com/work/project/the-pearl>
“THE PEARL – QATAR” – State of Qatar. (n.d.). . MEDCO. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.cedaconferences.org/documents/dredgingconference/downloads/2/technical-visit-thepearl.pdf>
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). UDC. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://udcqatar.com/Projects>
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/>
The Pearl-Qatar redefines luxury. (n.d.). . PORT TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL. Retrieved from <https://wpassets.porttechnology.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/25184435/PT32-01.pdf>
‘The Pearl’. (n.d.). dar. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.dar.com/work/project/the-pearl>
Middle East, C. (2009). ‘The Pearl-Qatar’. Arabian Business.
Al-Amadi, D., David Major, M., Atour, Raya, Al-Ansari, D., Al-Maiki, N., Amleh, R., Mareeva, V., et al. (2023). Form and Function in The Pearl-QatarArtificial Island Development. 5 th International Conference of Contemporary Affairs in Architecture and Urbanism (ICCAUA-2022) 11-13 May 2022.Retrieved March 3, 2024, from <https://iccaua.com/PDFs/2022_Conference_fulL_book/SESSION_C_2022/ICCAUA2022EN0100_Alamadi_617-627.pdf>
‘Home | You Can Have It All’. (n.d.). . Retrieved March 3, 2024, from <https://www.thepearlqatar.com/sitecore/content/The-Pearl-Qatar/Home/Projects>
‘Guidelines | The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). . Retrieved March 3, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/Pearl-Living/Guidelines>
‘The Pearl – Qatar’. (n.d.). ARCADIS. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.callisonrtkl.com/projects/the-pearl-qatar-united-development-company/>
‘The Pearl’. (n.d.). dar. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.dar.com/work/project/the-pearl>
‘The Pearl – Qanat Quartier Project’. (n.d.). dar. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.dar.com/work/project/the-pearl-qanat-quartier-project>
‘The Pearl – Qatar’. (n.d.). ARCADIS. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.callisonrtkl.com/projects/the-pearl-qatar-united-development-company/>
“THE PEARL – QATAR” – State of Qatar. (n.d.). . MEDCO. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.cedaconferences.org/documents/dredgingconference/downloads/2/technical-visit-thepearl.pdf>
“THE PEARL – QATAR” – State of Qatar. (n.d.). . MEDCO. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.cedaconferences.org/documents/dredgingconference/downloads/2/technical-visit-thepearl.pdf>
Construction Development Company LLC. (n.d.). . CDC. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.ashghal.gov.qa/Lists/ProcurementCompaniesProfiles/SX001-IB001-0153_Profile.pdf>
‘Pearl-Qatar’. (2013). MEED.
Wali, R. (2023). ‘The Pearl Qatar FAQs’. The Pearl Gates. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.thepearlgates.com/about/case-studies-and-insights/the-pearl-qatar-faqs/>
‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/Pearl-Living/Corporate-Social-Responsibility>
‘Qatar’s UDC secures $200m funding for Pearl project’. (2016). Arabian Business.
‘The Pearl Island’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/>
‘About UDC’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/About-UDC>
‘The Pearl – Qatar’. (n.d.). ARCADIS. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.callisonrtkl.com/projects/the-pearl-qatar-united-development-company/>
‘The Pearl’. (n.d.). dar. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.dar.com/work/project/the-pearl>
‘The Pearl – Qanat Quartier Project’. (n.d.). dar. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.dar.com/work/project/the-pearl-qanat-quartier-project>
‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. (n.d.). The Pearl Island. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://thepearlqatar.com/en/Pearl-Living/Corporate-Social-Responsibility>
“THE PEARL – QATAR” – State of Qatar. (n.d.). . MEDCO. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.cedaconferences.org/documents/dredgingconference/downloads/2/technical-visit-thepearl.pdf>
Construction Development Company LLC. (n.d.). . CDC. Retrieved January 17, 2024, from <https://www.ashghal.gov.qa/Lists/ProcurementCompaniesProfiles/SX001-IB001-0153_Profile.pdf>
‘Pearl-Qatar’. (2013). MEED.