Visuals of the first new-build stadium to be built for the Qatar 2022 World Cup were launched at the weekend amid heightened concern over appalling conditions for migrant labourers in the Gulf state (see related story here).
The 40,000 capacity Al Wakrah stadium, one of six that will be built or retrofitted for the tournament, has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects with Aecom Middle East.
Enabling works on the project are due to be tendered in the first quarter of 2014, with the main contract due to reach the market by Q4 2014.
This project will be followed by the retrofit contract for the existing Al Rayyan stadium, with the Lusail stadium – the 85,250 capacity venue that is set to host both the opening and closing games – likely to be the third in procurement.
By the end of 2014, preparatory construction work is likely to have started on five out of the six stadia, according to Gulf publication Construction Week.
The Lusail stadium will sit within the wider Lusail City development, which was one of the sites singled out in The Guardian’s investigation into the use of forced labour on Qatari construction sites.
Announcing the project, Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary general of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, highlighted its commitment to a new workers charter.
The Al Wakrah stadium will be designed to offer spectators an environment of 24-28 deg C, while the natural grass pitch will be cooled to 26 deg C.
Asked about the deaths of migrant workers in Qatar, he said: “For us, any number above zero is unacceptable. We’re working towards ensuring that stays that way.”
He said the Supreme Committee had provided “very clear standards that all of our contractors have to comply with” and that the charter “is available to the public and refers to ensuring the safety, security and the dignity of every person working within the 2022 project.”
According to a Nepalese diplomat, 32 workers from the country died in the month of July alone, 21 of these were construction workers who suffered either heart attacks, falls or site-related incidents, while another 11 died in traffic accidents.
Al Thawadi also said that the committee was still planning to build stadia and public realm capable of holding the World Cup in the summer, regardless of whether Fifa subsequently switches the tournament to the winter.
The Al Wakrah stadium will be designed to offer spectators an environment of 24-28 deg C, while the natural grass pitch will be cooled to 26 deg C. Outside the stadium, the public realm will be cooled to 30-32 degrees.
