Scaling down planning in Doha towards the neighborhood and its public realm

The state of Qatar and its capital Doha are undeniably in a state of profound change. In this current phase of rapid development, neighborhoods, and especially their public realms, have often been neglected due to the prioritization of creating notable architectural objects that support national development plans. Without conscious and sensitive attention toward developing these spaces, it is difficult to encourage communal relations and practices at the point of residence. Built environment practitioners face unique challenges when planning Doha. Qatar's population has dramatically increased in both numbers and diversity, resulting in resident communities that hold different expectations of and needs from the city. Moreover, traditional living is not commonly associated with urban communities; a lingering question remains regarding how the built environment can preserve tradition and identity. Planning approaches in Doha have oscillated between rational comprehensive planning and entrepreneurial and mana...