With five proposed host venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar currently underway, the site at Al Wakrah is starting to take shape as the first concrete has been laid above ground in the stadium, which will seat 40,000 spectators. The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has celebrated reaching an important milestone as the first structural concrete slab has been cast at the site of Al Wakrah Stadium.
Abdulla Al-Marri, Senior Project Engineer at the Al Wakrah Precinct, explained: We have started laying the foundation of 168 m3 of structural concrete in our east slab. For this we are using two pumps that work simultaneously, doubling the usual speed. This is an important achievement, being the first above-ground casting of concrete at the site which will incorporate the structural elements to begin vertical construction.
With this accomplishment, 55 of 84 structural piles were poured – each one measuring 19 meters in length and 1.2 meters in diameter – and distributed in six different sectors.
The first pile was cast in December 2014, just a little after a year since the ground-breaking designs for Al Wakrah Stadium were formally unveiled to the public and the site was declared the first proposed venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
The top priorities now for the enabling works contractor are to complete the drainage works and excavations around the stadium, and the casting of the foundations to allow the Main Work Contractor to begin their work on the project.
HBK Contracting Company is the enabling works supplier at Al Wakrah Stadium, who have completed over one million Lost Time Accident (LTA) free man-hours. “We observe that all safety measures are in place before works starts and we reward safety practices every month,” highlighted Al-Marri. As part of regular safety training across all SC sites, the Al Wakrah site will hold a Safety Fair in March.
The 40,000-seat stadium, future home of Al Wakrah Sports Club, will be surrounded by approximately 560,000m2 (60-hectare) of legacy precinct with a new sports center and community hub. The precinct will deliver a range of community facilities, including a park, mosque, school, hotel, wedding hall, vocational training center, and retail outlets. The stadium will be reduced in legacy mode to 20,000 seats, with the upper tiers sent to developing countries in need of sporting infrastructure.
Located approximately 15km south of Doha, Al Wakrah is one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas in Qatar. Taking the dhow boats that carried generations of Qatari fishermen and pearl divers as inspiration, the design of Al Wakrah Stadium and the approximately 586,000m2 surrounding precinct weaves together the city’s cultural heritage with Qatar’s progressive outlook, as defined in the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030). In addition to the stadium and precinct, Al Wakrah’s seafaring identity will be incorporated into the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar fan experience.
A natural grass pitch cooled to an optimal temperature of 26 degrees Celsius will ensure that brilliant football is played. Spectator stands will be cooled to a supremely comfortable 24-28 degrees Celsius. AECOM designed Al Wakrah Stadium in association with Zaha Hadid Architects. AECOM serves as the Design Consultant on the project, while KEO International Consultants is the Project Manager.
PSAM Weekly Digest
20 February
