Multidisciplinary studio Dar Al-Handasah has completed the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium in the Qatari city of Al Khor for the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
Set to host the football tournament's opening game next November, the stadium is defined by its distinctive tent-like structure.
Al Bayt Stadium is enclosed in a tent-like structure
Built in the northern port city of Al Khor, the Al Bayt Stadium was named after the historic bayt al sha'ar tents that were traditionally used by nomadic people in the country and across the region.
Dar Al-Handasah's design was directly informed by these tented structures.
It was informed by tents used by nomadic people across the region
The exterior walls and peaked roofs of each of the four stands surrounding the pitch were covered in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) woven fiberglass membrane to create the tent-like form. A retractable roof connects the four stands to enclose the stadium.
It is coloured red, white and white, like traditional nomadic tents
"As well as being incredibly eye-catching, the tent design is deeply practical," said Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.
"The shade provided by the tent structure and its retractable roof system complement the stadium's cooling technologies, helping maintain a comfortable temperature inside without using any extra power."
The stadium can be enclosed with a retractable roof
The stadium's PTFE membrane exterior was coloured in traditional black, red and white ...