ABSTRACT
This chapter is about how to build contemporary architecture in Doha, the fast-changing capital of Qatar. One translation of the word Doha in Arabic is ‘a place in the desert which is habitable’. But is the city really habitable, with temperatures in the high-40s©C and even low-50s©C for a few months each year, combined with its dust-ridden air and extreme humidity? Thanks to air-conditioning and the motor car, the answer is ‘yes’. However does Doha offer as comfortable a lifestyle as it could, and if we look into the future, can this lifestyle be sustained or, even better, improved for citizens?
