Zaha Hadid Architects is slated to build a 38-story hotel as part of a new coastal city in Qatar. The 70,000-square-meter (753,474 square foot) hotel and residential building is one of two projects designed by Zaha Hadid for Lusail City before the architect passed away earlier this year.
Hadid’s firm ZHA is now developing plans to build the tower in the Marina District of the city, in partnership with engineering firms Arup and Atelier Ten. The property is slated to be completed in 2020.
According to the ZHA, the building's design is based on the form of the desert hyacinth, a flowering plant native to the Arabian Gulf region. As such, the property will have a nine-pointed shape with a bulging podium at its base and upper floors that have "interwoven fluid geometries".
The structure will also have a filigree skin that will resemble a mashrabiya screen, an element that is typical in Arabic architecture.
Upon completion, the building will have 120 apartments and 200 hotel rooms.
Both of Hadid's Lusail City projects were commissioned by Qatari developer Al Alfia Holding.
ZHA is now led by Patrik Schumacher.