The Arena for Gulf Cup of Nations
Basrah, the main port all over Iraq, in 2013, will host the Gulf Cup of Nations, a soccer tournament held every two years for Arabian Gulf states. The idea was first proposed in 2007 as a way to reconcile rifts between Iraq and other countries in the region. In addition to hosting the 2013 Gulf Cup, the project’s goal is to develop facilities and support structures that would enable training and growth of sports in the Republic. When complete, Basrah Sport City will be the largest sports facility ever built in Iraq. This multi-purpose complex invested by Iraqi national government is being underway since 2009.
On top of the usual logistical issues and heightened security concerns in Iraq, the design team was challenged with a very aggressive design and construction schedule of just 32 months for a project that would take at least 36 months in the U.S. under normal circumstances. Given ongoing safety issues and the current political/administrative situation in Iraq, communication was also a challenge, as the client is a subcommittee of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, along with other Iraqi ministries that are invested in the project and require input.
As most of the design team members are based outside of Iraq, language and cultural issues required local direction in handling problems unique to this volatile area. Despite these challenges, all parties have cleared whatever hurdles they have faced and the project is moving steadily forward. A new sports project in the City of Basrah in southern Iraq has the potential to heal the wounds of war and create a new start for a city and a nation in desperate need of hope.
Designed by 360 Architecture of Kansas City, the two-phase project will cost more that US$1 billion and is scheduled for completion in 2012. Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering design firm, is providing structural design and building skin modeling for the Basrah Sport City.
Design Team Owner: Ministry of Youth & Sports Iraq
Architect: 360 Architecture (Design) & RMC (Production)
Lead Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
Resident Engineer: Baker Wilkins & Smith
Quantity Surveyors: Davis Langdon
Mechanical Enginers: WSP=Flack & Kutz
Civil Engineering: Lanagan Engineering
Full version you can download here
Information provided by Thornton Tomasetti