LOOKING BACKWARDS, MOVING FORWARDS

In their quest for improving the guest experience through technology, some architects have forgotten the fundamentals of good design. Interventions such as air conditioning are relied upon rather than designs that maximise the natural advantages of the surrounding landscape. This drive to overcome, rather than integrate with, cities’ climates and landscapes has led to the construction in deserts of culturally incongruous glasshouses that hold little regard for human comfort, energy efficiency or the health of our planet.

In the future, hotels must be designed in response to the history, heritage and environment of their locale – the ‘wow’ factor should always come second. Guest comfort and wellness should be paramount through masterplans that consider the site’s unique parameters and include “healthy” BREEAM and Leed-certified materials and processes. However, sometimes moving forwards means looking backwards. When I helped develop the masterplan for the Heart of Doha, the Middle East’s first sustainable downtown regeneration project, we learned a lot from the ancient settlement patterns established when Doha was a fishing village. Buildings’ internal courtyards were constructed with windows to filter sunlight into the rooms, and their thick walls insulated against temperature variations, while roads called ‘breeze streets’ were angled to the northwest to optimise prevailing winds. We interpreted this traditional courtyard design within the new masterplan’s construction guidelines. Structural walls incorporate a similar ratio of solid to glass, and double-skinned roofs reduce the need for air conditioning. Narrower streets decrease solar gain and, along with numerous trees, keep buildings shaded, while water features bring extra cooling. We learned all this from historic practices, and then applied new techniques and technologies for maximum efficiency. This coupling of centuries-old wisdom with 21st century advances is, I believe, the future for buildings that offer longevity and human wellbeing.