The Pearl-Qatar appoints Callison for Main Marina design and construction architecture

The Pearl-Qatar, the US $2.5 billion man-made island being built offshore the Qatari capital, Doha, has appointed Seattle-headquartered Callison Architecture Inc. as the prime consultant and design architect for master planning, design and construction services.

Callison provided the master planning and conceptual design services for the 988 acre island, which established the overall concept. The firm is currently providing design and construction services for the 21, 20-storey towers comprised of 3,116 fashionable apartments with sweeping sea views that overlook 410 imaginative town houses and 55,000 square metres of high-end retail with parking structures. These features are all contained in a Riviera-like boardwalk setting around a 400-boat slip marina – one of four planned for The Pearl-Qatar.

The first phase of The Pearl-Qatar is scheduled for completion late 2006. Callison is co-ordinating the design with local architectural firm, KEO International.

“Callison demonstrated immense creativity and style and produced designs which clearly differentiated the project and were aligned with the vision of the island’s developers and promoters to produce an iconic asset for Qatar capable of attracting international investment,” said Nick Bashkiroff, Development Director, The Pearl-Qatar.

The Pearl-Qatar win is being developed and promoted by United Development Company (UDC) – the country’s largest private sector shareholding company.

“The Pearl-Qatar is a unique project with a Riviera-style theme which will position it as truly world-class and differentiate it from other developments within the region and around the world,” said Charles Krimmert, Callison’s Project Manager for The Pearl-Qatar.

“We are confident that the architectural experience will position The Pearl-Qatar to capitalise on the country’s rich maritime and pearling history while leveraging the appeal of Qatar as the Arab world’s richest per-capita nation and one of the region’s most secure and relaxing living environments.”

Callison has incorporated unique concepts into a master plan in accordance with the brand identity for The Pearl-Qatar, which is the country’s first international real estate venture and the first to offer freehold and residential rights to global investors.

The final master plan and brand identity are due for imminent launch following a soft-launch test marketing of the project, which has received interest from local, regional and international investors.

The Pearl-Qatar is being developed offshore Doha’s prestigious West Bay Lagoon area. It will be linked to the mainland by an eight-lane, palm-tree lined super highway.