Built on the site of Al Rayyan Sports Club’s existing stadium, Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, work is due to be completed in first quarter of 2019 and the stadium will have a capacity of 40,000 spectators in tournament mode. This will be reduced to 21,000 post-tournament, with the upper tier of seats removed and sent to developing nations in need of sports infrastructure.
The stadium will feature the innovative sustainable cooling technology delivered by the SC and its stakeholders. This will ensure comfortable viewing conditions for fans and a cooler playing temperature for players during the legacy use of the stadium for domestic competitions, international matches and tournaments hosted in Qatar.
Sustainability is at the heart of the design with 90 per cent of materials generated from the deconstruction of the current stadium re-used. Some of the materials will be used by local and international artists to create works of public art, whilst other materials to be reused include; timber doors, windows and frames were used in the accommodation and some in the site offices; Water fixtures and fittings, light switches and sockets were used in the accommodation; Concrete was crushed and stored for future site levelling works; Reinforcement bar and other metals to be recycled by Qatar Steel; Topsoil has been stockpiled for future precinct landscaping works or sold to others; Scrap timber will be recycled by licensed centres across Qatar.
The design will actively reduce the carbon footprint of the stadium and precinct through on-site renewable energy, lightweight building design, careful selection of materials, and energy and water efficiency measures. The stadium is designed with the goal of certification under both the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings.
Al Rayyan’s sporting heritage and Qatar’s environment is reflected in the design of the stadium. The stadium’s façade will feature a multitude of patterns and designs, which draw on the history of Al Rayyan as well as Qatari culture. Featuring an innovatively designed exterior, it also aims to create a sense of place unique to Al Rayyan in particular, and more generally to the culture of Qatar and the Middle East. The hospitality and service areas will be located outside the stadium.
Al Rayyan Stadium is the fifth stadium design that the SC has unveiled. Work is now underway across the following stadiums: Al Wakrah, Al Bayt – Al Khor, Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar Foundation Stadium & Health and Wellness Precinct and Al Rayyan Stadium.