City of Play
Status: Complete
Location: Doha, Qatar
Client: Qatar Museums
Collaborators: Deena Al Terawi, Gizem Kahraman, Omer Can Aksoy
Following the completion of our 'City of Play' project, which secured the Doha Unlimited Design Prize in 2016, we were recommissioned to create a second Doha scheme. This time, our brief was to design an immersive, accessible playground in tandem with the Ajyal Youth Film Festival of 2017, infusing the event with the spirit of play.
Our response was a beguiling maze, a harmonious marriage of the age-old intricacies of Old Doha's streets and the youthful exuberance of the festival. It began as a frame, a skeletal structure that bore the soul of the city's urban furnishings and the vibrant greens that adorned its lanes. We adorned this framework with the iconic areesh palm leaf cladding, crafting portals that beckoned with whispered secrets and glimpses of unexpected beauty. The lively spirit of the festival found its embodiment in the maze through whimsical timber panels, painted with vibrant hues, invoking joy in every twist and turn. ...
The heart of this project lay in the craft. Each palm leaf, every painted timber panel, every detail mattered. Every choice enriched the experience, making it more than just a maze, but a journey of wonder and delight.
We extended the lifespan of this playful creation by allowing it to dance anew in a different location in 2018. The materials chosen, from the sturdy frame to the natural areesh palm cladding, were selected for their durability and eco-friendliness. In its own quiet way, this maze embraced the principles of sustainable design, ensuring that its charm endured, year after year, leaving a gentle footprint on the world.
