卡塔尔劳工纪念馆

06/2023, Shanghai

This project is aimed at commemorating the migrant workers who died during the construction of the World Cup venues in Qatar over the past decade. The worker death rate at the Qatar World Cup is much higher than any other major sports event in history, and there are multiple reasons behind this, such as inhumane national policies and the harsh local climate. These workers come from different countries and believe in different religions. Different memorial spaces are designed for these workers based on their religious and cultural differences.

Developing at a rapid speed, Qatar brought the world to its doorstep for the World Cup. But at what cost? More than 6,500 workers from South and Southeast Asia lost their lives while building the grandeur of the World Cup venues and infrastructure. These labourers had to endure harsh living conditions and strict segregation policies imposed by the local government. It’s a tragic tale of exploitation and neglect, leaving a stain on the conscience of all those who put profit over human lives.


The site is located in a man-made ravine in the labour quarter of the capital Doha, the only place in the city where labourers are allowed to gather. The majority of these labourers are Muslims and Hindus, so the building was designed with respect for the deceased labourers in mind.

Hindus believe that when people dies, their souls leave their bodies and enter a new cycle. The bodies are purified and the souls are released through a cremation ceremony, and then the ash is often sprinkled into the Ganges or the ocean to guide the souls on their next journey.In Islam, death is believed to be the departure of the soul from the body to another world. Washing the body and burying it facing Mecca are religious rituals that express faith and respect, as well as provide peace and tranquility for the deceased soul.


By analysing the ritual flow of the funeral, the form of the building was born, where one part of the building will be rotated by 20° in order to face the direction of Mecca, while the other part will face the sea. The building will embody the tragic experiences of these labourers, from home – Qatar – death, and visitors will be able to immerse themselves in these tragic stories.


The plan of the building, with the minaret, projection hall and commemorative module representing Islam facing towards Mecca, while the main part of the building follows the canyon towards the sea.


The morphology of the two types of religious modules derives from the structural characteristics of their temples, with Islamic temples being domed and Hindu ones stepped. The stepped modules are topped by a cistern, and the twelve modules form a waterfall that cascades from the highest point of the building down to the sea.


The external walls of the screening room are of two-storey construction with translucent polycarbonate panels on the outside to mitigate excessive local light and ultraviolet rays, in addition to providing some acoustic insulation.


Rendering and space belonging to


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