Doha EcoDistricts Research Begins

Project

 Doha has grown as a conventional city of gridded streets, independent development parcels, segregated land uses, and introspective stand-alone look-at-me buildings. This form of sprawl is inconsistent with the cultural history and microclimatic reality that characterize Doha and other coastal cities of the Gulf. Creating Sustainable Urbanism calls for the application of a holistic organizing concept such as “EcoDistricts” to inform and direct growth that optimizes synergies in forming neighborhoods as living communities with an environmentally sustainable urban agenda. An EcoDistrict is a geographically defined area such as a remote village, urban neighborhood, institutional campus, employment district, city, or sub-region within which system flows of energy, nutrients, resources, information, financial capital, and cultural resources are focused locally, energized by their coordinated integration, and responsive to microclimatic conditions. EcoDistricts are a planning approach that calls for a more environmentally sustainable, low carbon city with next-generation infrastructure, culture and climate-sensitive public space, and high-performance buildings. The proposal will activate a research partnership between Qatar University, Portland State University, and Portland Oregon-based Consultants to investigate, define, and illustrate an EcoDistrict urban strategy for existing and future Gulf cities using Doha, and its metropolitan area, as a case study. 

Project: NPRP 5 - 074 - 5 - 015 (Award Active )
Title: Towards an Eco-Districts Strategy for Sustainable Urbanism in the Gulf Region. Greater Doha as case study
Duration: 3 Year(s)
Start Date: 11/15/201
Submitting Institution: Qatar University
Research Area: 5. Social Sciences Speciality: 5.7 Social and Economic Geography Sub Speciality: Urban Studies (Planning and Development)

Research Team:
Dr. Agatino Rizzo, Qatar University, Lead PI
Dr. Vivek Shandas, Portland State University, Co-PI
Prof. David Sailor, Portland State University, Co-PI