Enormous new mall for Doha
Originally published in Gulf Times on June 3, 2010
The built-up area of the new mall will be more than 160,000sq m, making it one of the biggest shopping centres in Qatar.
A massive shopping centre, off the North Road in Al Gharaffa, will be built by the owners and developers of the Landmark and Villaggio malls, Gulf Times has learnt.
Named the Gulf Mall, the complex is located diagonally opposite the Landmark Mall and is situated on the same plateau as that of another upcoming shopping centre, Al Gharaffa Mall.
“The built-up area of the mall will be more than 160,000sq m, making it one of the biggest shopping centres in Qatar,” an official of the Gulf Mall project told Gulf Times.
“The project is expected to take a couple of years to complete,” the official added.
For comparison’s sake, the nearby Landmark Mall, after couple of expansions since opening in 2000, is around 60,000sq m. According to the official, the mall’s design will reflect the architectural uniqueness of each Gulf state, hence the name.
“The interior will be a mixture of traditional and modern,” he said.
When completed, the mall will be able to accommodate more than 1,600 vehicles in the basement parking lot. “The parking bay will be equipped with the state-of-the-art safety, security and surveillance systems,” the official said.
There will be seven entrances to the Gulf Mall which will house leading international brands and a number of anchor stores spread on the ground and the first floor.
There will be a children’s play area, gaming zone, food courts and coffee shops.
“We have also planned for 13 cinema halls,” the official said.
The project owners recently awarded a QR156mn MEP (mechanical-electrical-plumbing) contract to HBK Engineering.
“We are contributing to the growth of Qatar’s fast-expanding retail market. In today’s Qatar, we (must) lead and pave the way to develop the demographical growth by pioneering such expansion rather than joining it at later stages,” the official said.
Gulf Times had reported in April that the retail market in Qatar was set to more than double by mid-2011, with several new shopping centres under construction and a few opening this year itself.
As Published
