News - Around the UAE

24 June, 2011 Around the UAE

Revival of Soug Wagef in old Doha

An engineering consulting firm is preparing a project to restore life to the distinct heritage site "Soug Wagef" in Doha. Architect Mohamed Ali Abdulla attempted to revive the memory of the place, where modern buildings have been demolished, and metal sheets have been replaced with traditional roofs maid of wood and bamboo and a layer of clay and straw. Traditional methods have been used to isolate buildings from intense heat, and new features have been introduced to the region such as an advanced lighting system to illuminate the street of the Soug. As opposed to the very traditional aspects of the region, we find that "Soug Wagef" is a general space, an open-air area often frequented by tourists, traders and locals. The origins of "Soug Wagef", which covers 164,000 square meters of space, can be traced back to when Doha was a village and its inhabitants would gather by the banks of the valley to buy and sell goods.