October 2012 Qatar Meeting

Doha, Qatar
October 9, 2012



A regional meeting of the Qatar Chapter of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat was held in Doha, Qatar on October 9, 2012. The event was hosted by Carnegie Mellon Qatar University on the campus of Education City in Qatar’s capital, and sponsored by Eversendai Engineering Qatar, one of the largest fabricators and erectors of structural steel in the region. Approximately 50 people were in attendance.

Prior to the start of the meeting, guests were able to review some of the posters, books and other publications from CTBUH that were on display, and also visit and network with each other.



CTBUH Country Representative for Qatar Bill Maibusch (second from the right) speaks with attendees.


CTBUH Country Representative for Qatar, Bill Maibusch, opened the meeting by welcoming all. During the introduction, he reported on some of the recent events and activities of CTBUH, including the 9th World Congress held in Shanghai, in September.

Mr. Ray Corcoran of Carnegie Mellon University followed with welcoming remarks and discussed the mission of Carnegie Mellon here in Qatar and some of the study programs they offer at their Education City branch campus.


The event was held at Carnegie Mellon Qatar University on the campus of Education City


The main speaker was Mr. Chidambaram, Lead Structural Engineer for KEO International Consultants. Mr. Chidambaram discussed both the advantages and disadvantages of using structural steel in the Middle East where cast-in-place concrete is predominantly used. Some of advantages included its use in long spans as well as its application to unique shapes and cantilevers which could not be built as efficiently in concrete. The disadvantages are the lack of qualified and skilled workers and the limited fabrication facilities currently available in Qatar, thus making transportation an added cost and logistical challenge.


Mr. Chidambaram delivers his presentation.


He also noted that, with the number of projects being planned in preparation for the 2022 World Cup being hosted by Qatar, there will be a large increase in the use of structural steel in design and construction of projects such as stadiums. He concluded his presentation with photographs of several notable projects in Qatar that have been built already using structural steel as the primary design component.

The meeting then closed with a review of other upcoming events in CTBUH, including the annual symposium, ceremony, and awards dinner to be held in Chicago, and next year’s international conference scheduled for next June in London titled “Height and Heritage – The Unique Challenge of Building Tall in Historic Cities.”



Attendees at the Carnegie Mellon Qatar University on the campus of Education City.

Following the meeting, there was food and beverage served in the gathering space. This was an opportunity for the professionals who attended the meeting and presentation to continue to socialize and network with each other in a relaxed setting.

The next CTBUH Qatar regional meeting is planned for December, 2012.