Published : Dec. 18, 2018 - 09:25
Currently, the venue is no different from any other construction site, with cranes operating and workers in high-visibility colored vests and helmets moving around. But the SC said once it is completed, Lusail Stadium will showcase the ancient tradition of Arab craftsmanship and celebrate the region's hospitality.
The design of Lusail Stadium features "fanar" lanterns and intricately detailed bowls that have been created for centuries in the region. According to FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, Lusail Stadium can be described as "absolutely gorgeous."
This computer generated image provided by Qatar`s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy shows what Lusail Stadium and its auxiliary facilities in Lusail City will look like for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. (Yonhap)
"I particularly enjoy the fact that Middle Eastern culture is reflected in Lusail's and several other designs, and look forward to seeing football fans from all over the world discover the culture and history of the region," she told the SC after attending the design launch event.
Building the showpiece stadium for 2022 World Cup is not an easy project, however. After all, Lusail Stadium will be the biggest football stadium in Qatar and its unique design is posing challenges to the construction workers. More than 3,000 people are currently working on the site, but the number could increase depending on the phase of construction.
"(The) architectural complexity of realizing the vision is such a difficult job," Lusail Stadium project manager Tamim El Abed said. "It also (has) a very challenging, but beautiful facade."
As the showpiece stadium for the 2022 World Cup, Lusail Stadium needs to take everything into account, from sustainability to technology -- and most of all, security. This is forcing the builders to come up with "innovative methods," according to El Abed.
"We have to come up with ways that I've never been used before simply because there never has been a building (that) looks like this," he said.
Qatar doesn't want Lusail Stadium to be remembered as just one of those football stadiums that has hosted the final of the World Cup. The Gulf nation hopes Lusail Stadium can provide more than that.
"I think Lusail Stadium will be distinguished with its beauties, and it's exceptional in terms of structure and architectural vision," El Abed said. "I sincerely think that technological capabilities of the building will be advanced simply by the virtue that we're hosting the tournament in 2022. We want to be the best."
After the 2022 Cup, Lusail Stadium will be transformed into a "community space" that includes schools, shops and sports facilities. And then Qatar can add new meaning to an area that is already regarded as a sacred place. Lusail was home of the founder of modern Qatar, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Al Thani, but after the World Cup, it could be remembered as a place that has changed perceptions of Qatar and the Arab world. (Yonhap)