A new aerial film recently posted online has given residents a rare view of many of Qatar’s under-development and recently finished buildings.
Filmed using a drone and two helicopters, the three-minute long video is reportedly the first of its kind in Qatar and covers most of Doha, from Education City to the Pearl-Qatar.
It was shot by Qatar-based SnapTV and WS Productions over six months from summer last year and can be viewed on their YouTube page.
Speaking to Doha News, SnapTV founder Carlo Yan said he was inspired to produce the video after watching time-lapse films of the city.
“I thought we can get a better perspective of the city from the air, and we can get views that no one has seen before,” he said.
“We wanted to cover the whole city, to capture all the infrastructure and show how it’s changing so quickly,” he added.
Here are five of the key Qatar buildings or complexes featured in the films:
Hamad International Airport
The airport, which opened in May 2014 after considerable delays to replace the Doha International Airport, has already hit 30 million visitors a year, and expansion is underway.
The aerial footage takes viewers over the private Emiri terminal, the long-stay parking lot and the main terminal building itself.
Sidra Medical and Research Center
The birds’ eye footage of Sidra shows a structure which – at least from the outside – appears complete.
However, the medical and research complex is still under construction, and workers can be seen in the winding, white paths that surround the main building.
Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies
The gently curving structure and soaring minarets of the award-winning Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies complex in Education City can be seen from unusual angles in the aerial film.
To its right is the under-construction Northwestern University in Qatar building.
Qatar National Library
Another Education City project, still under construction, is the Qatar National Library.
While it has missed previous opening dates of 2013 and 2014, when it does eventually open it is set to include a metropolitan public borrowing library in addition to national archives and a university and research library.
Lusail multipurpose sports arena
Built to host the 24th Men’s World Handball Championships last January, this venue is north of Doha in Al Daayen.
Designed by architect Alastair Richardson, its soft, curving shape is made up of blue, white and cream-colored triangles. The footage highlights the undulating shape of the structure in the midst of an otherwise empty desert landscape.
Thoughts?
