WSP wins Qatar airport city job

Engineer WSP has won a job alongside Dutch architect OMA to masterplan the development of a new city and airport expansion in Doha.

The masterplan will cover an area of 10sq km alongside the new Hamad International Airport in Doha, and is intended to cover a development programme up to 2042.

The project, called Airport City, is designed to link the new airport to the city of Doha through four districts, including a transport hub and cargo and warehousing facilities for the airport itself. Hamad International Airport is due to commence operations in April and is planned to handle 30 million passengers per year rising to 50 million passengers.

WSP’s role will include planning the infrastructure for the FIFA 2022 World Cup, as well as the detailed masterplanning of a second passenger terminal and further land and airside airport expansion.

The contract will require WSP to carry out all engineering, security, transport planning and specialist aviation planning and design for the masterplanning of the project.

WSP and OMA have been appointed by New Doha International Airport Steering Committee (NDIA SC), which was formed by a decree from the Emir of Qatar to plan, implement and oversee the construction of the new airport.

WSP project director Graeme Power-Hosking said: “This is an extremely exciting project. With the FIFA 2022 World Cup putting the city on the world-stage, our aim alongside our client is to make it a world-class airport with world-class infrastructure. Our client is setting new benchmarks in design and uncompromising on quality and this raises the bar for us as well.”