Qatar Gets Back On The Supertall Bus

With oil prices on the rise again it looks like the credit crisis could be over for oil-rich countries who are once able to draw on their valuable commodity income again.

One recently to gain approval is the Kamal Tower that will be located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar. The design comes from the doodle pads of American based architects Kohn Pederson Fox and upon completion will stand at a fairly impressive height of 408 metres. It's particular symbolic not for the height but because it is one of first Arabian supertalls to come out since the global recession started.

Standing on the edge of the Persian Gulf, the tower rises from a fully glazed, curved podium base designed to mimic the shape of the shoreline, from here a jetty extends outwards to the gulf giving direct access to the tower via boat from the airport.

Elliptical in shape at its base the tower tapers upwards in a V shape to a slightly curving peak devoid of height grabbing spires. The tower will have white facades which are emblematic of the traditional Thobe garment commonly worn in the region, and will be constructed from white tile and glazed units with silk-screening.

The main feature and focal point of the tower however is the rather attention grabbing 37 storey tall hole that appears in the towers upper storeys shaped like a tapered candle. Rather than spanning the gap with sky bridges or filling it with sky gardens the hole is just left bare opening the tower up to the sea and city.

The tower will be mixed use, the podium section which is orientated towards the gulf and is linked to the beach on two levels will house parking spaces, a ballroom meeting rooms and lets not forget the most important part which is of course the shopping spaces filled with fantabulous goodies designed to get the pin finger itchy.

The towers will have office spaces at the lower where it is widest and provides larger floor plates, whilst he upper floors will be a luxury hotel and serviced apartments no doubt the fun stuff such as spas and gyms will be thrown in for good measure too.

The 77th floor will feature a sky lobby for visitors and resident alike to enjoy stunning views of the city and Gulf below from.

At present there are no construction times but all being well in a few years time Lloyd Grossman may well be able to go and look through the worlds biggest keyhole.