Modern and Vernacular Settlements in Doha: An Urban Planning Strategy to Pursue Modernity and Consolidate Cultural Identity Furlan R * Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Engineering, Qatar University, State of Qatar, Doha * Corresponding author: Furlan R, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Engineering, Qatar University, State of Qatar, Doha, Tel: +97444034100; E-mail: rafur@gmail.com Received date: March 19, 2016; Accepted date: April 19, 2016; Published date: April 25, 2016 Copyright: © 2016 Furlan R. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Scholars and researchers, who investigate the extent to which spatial form and livability are mutually interconnected, stress that the built environment provides the space for the enhancement of social interactions, which in turn have a deep impact on the level of livability of cities. Namely, in relation to this relationship, to which extent the built environment of (1) the contemporary business district of ‘West Bay’ and (2) of the heritage site of the ‘Souq Waqif’ in Doha contributes to the enhancement of social interactions and/or livability has not been comparatively investigated yet. This study aims at investigating how the spatial form of the two selected precincts contributes to create a livable environment. The analysis indicates that while West Bay’s contemporary built environment contributes to the image of Doha as a modern city, the traditional settlement of the Souq Waqif contributes to the formation of a sense of community, increase occasions for social interactions, enhance livability and finally consolidate cultural identity. Keywords: Globalization; Vernacular settlements; Doha; Livability Introduction In the past two decades, due (1) to a signiicant growth in national wealth, produced by the production and export of oil and gas, (2) to globalization or westernization as a world-wide trend and inally (3) to the resulting desire to attract foreigners to invest into the rapid and intense urban development of GCC capital cities, Middle Eastern countries has experienced the construction of modern districts exposing spectacular structures inluenced by western-contemporary architectural design, materials and construction techniques. his trend, experienced by GCC capital cities, contributed to the expansion of single core cities towards decentralized new urban neighborhood. Scholars and researchers argue that in the past years Arab cities has witnessed the construction of more western developments than traditional ones. Due to globalization and wealth caused by oil export, urban planning strategies, Western architectural principles, construction materials and technology have been imported and are currently threatening Islamic culture and traditions [1-11]. Nowadays continuity with Islamic cities urban fabric has been neglected in the rush for westernized developments. Scholars argue that most of modern buildings erected in Middle Eastern cities are alien to the local culture: these buildings contribute in creating an unfamiliar environment within Arab cities [5,12,13]. Over the past years, Doha, the capital city of Qatar, has grown economically as well as physically. Also, the rapid and extensive development of the built environment of the city has been prompted by international sport events: the World Youth Cup (1995), the West Asian Games (2005), and the Asian Games (2006). Major changes to the built environment of Doha have been caused by the construction of infrastructural and large-scale urban and architectural projects, planned and currently under construction for the foreseen 2022s World Cup. Also, Qatar is currently making large investments in urban public transit systems (for example the Doha metro, the Lusail LRT (light rail transit) and BRT (bus rapid transit)), which will contribute to further developments around/along the major train stations [14-17]. he urban fabric and built forms of Doha display equilibrium between traditional and contemporary architecture, where several heritage buildings, characterized by Qatari architectural vernacular elements, are as magniicent as those built with a modern architectural language. he traditional architectural designed district such the Souq Waqif represents the core of traditional built heritage and local culture. Not far from the Souq Waqif, the new business district of West Bay, enclosing many modern buildings unlike the heritage district of Doha, is the physical built-image of globalization and westernization. Some of the tallest skyscrapers in Qatar are found in this area, such as the Al Quds Endowment Tower or the Burj Qatar, looking spectacular from ‘he Corniche, which is simple sea-front green linear link, which connects the Old Doha or the Souq Waqif (Old Doha) to the New Doha or West Bay [18-20]. his paper discusses how and the extent to which both (A) the district of West Bay, which is the most contemporary development and one of the most dominant districts of Doha and (B) the traditional district of the Souq Waqif, known as the most prominent heritage site displaying the traditional local built-cultural identity, contribute to enhance quality of life and/or livability. Arts and Social Sciences Journal Furlan, Arts Social Sci J 2016, 7:2 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2151-6200.1000171 Research Article Open Access Arts Social Sci J ISSN:2151-6200 ASSJ an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 2 • 1000171