THE TORCH DOHA

Built in less than a year to carry the flame of the 2006 Asian Games high and underline the country's even greater ambitions, The Torch is reminiscent of a torch. The architects were Hadi Simaan (USA) and Étienne Tricaud (France). A parabolic tower crowned by a petal and a cone to house the flame, it was built on a 7 m-thick raft on piles, due to the presence of flimsy chalk in the limestone soil! The tower's central structure is made of concrete, with a diameter varying between a maximum of 18 m and a minimum of 13 m, over a length of 238 m. As you can see, The Torch is entirely clad in stainless steel mesh, with variable perforation, giving an impression of transparency and lightness. More dense on the south side, the mesh also serves to protect from the sun. In addition, the porous facade reduces aerodynamic drag and thus wind loads that might otherwise have occurred with a watertight facade solution. The Aspire tower is crowned by the cauldron from which the flame of the Games burst forth: a cone wrapped in a 60 m high petal. The Torch houses a luxury hotel with an elliptical swimming pool, and on the 47th and top floor, a revolving restaurant with 360° views, modestly named Tree-Sixty. Don't miss the exuberant "Torch Tea Garden" on the 21st floor, with its flashy colors, plant-covered ceiling and immense volumes. It's worthy of Alice in Wonderland!