The programme, powered by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), will serve as a reflection and exploration of public design through the lens of vernacular material cultures from the MENASA region, considering how locally rooted materials, techniques, and practices can bring a sense of authenticity to contemporary urban environments. The commissions will present site-specific interventions in Fereej Al Asmakh, Doha, accompanied by the research, development, and production processes that inform each project.
By highlighting architects and designers alongside manufacturers, fabricators, and local collaborators, the programme will uncover the interconnected networks of material knowledge embedded within each intervention. Through this dual focus on process and product, the projects reflect key conditions shaping urban life today, reinforcing Design Doha’s role as a platform for critical inquiry, dialogue, and exchange within the city.
Curated by Javier Peña Ibáñez and powered by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the Public Design Commissions programme received more than 320 applications representing 45 nationalities across 32 countries. Following a review process, 25 projects were shortlisted and 10 finalists selected for development. Five commissions will be presented during Design Doha Biennial 2026, activating public spaces within Fereej Al Asmakh with a focus on sustainability, community engagement, and local collaboration.
Falajscape
Studio by Three — Eugenio Fernandez & Victor Nourman · Based in UAE
The project reinterprets the ancient Falaj water system as a sculptural network of stainless steel channels guiding water through urban spaces. Using gravity-driven flow, it creates cooling, reflective, and calming effects while fostering biodiversity and transforming everyday sites into micro-oases.
Shoreline
Platau · Based in Lebanon
Shoreline invites visitors to rediscover Doha’s shifting coastline, transformed through a century of land reclamation. Inspired by traditional Qatari dhows, a playful wooden topography emerges from sand, creating a contemporary public space for shade, play, gathering, storytelling, and reflection—where Doha remembers its shore.
Salsabil
New South — Meriem Chabani · Based in France
A contemporary salsabil merging Qatar’s heritage of water-cooling and ceramic craft with modern urban misting to create fresh, pedestrian-friendly spaces. Built from ceramic spheres functioning as architectural bricks, the pillars can be configured as single elements or half-circle curtains.
Cooling Pots
Haitam Daoudi & Óscar Cruz · Based in Morocco and Spain
A suspended canopy of terracotta pots of varying diameters and heights filters sunlight and generates layers of shade. Through evaporative cooling, the pots absorb and gradually release water, creating a localised oasis for gathering, rest, and shared experience within Doha’s climate.
Palm Construct
Abdalla Almulla · Based in UAE
Drawing on traditional Qatari palm architecture—trunks for structural beams, fronds for roofing (arish), and leaves for woven mats (khoos)—Palm Construct revisits the lightweight, breathable shelters that naturally responded to the desert climate.
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