A joint venture of the local Qatari Arabian Construction Company (QACC) and the local Amana Qatar Contracting Company has been awarded the estimated QR300m ($82m) construction package to build the new Ikea store in Doha.

The store will cover a total area of 32,000 square metres and is set for completion in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The Ikea store will be built at the new Doha Festival City development, which is located on the northern highway leading out of the capital.

Once complete, the Festival City development will include a retail centre, an entertainment park, two hotels and an auto park with car showrooms. The complex will cover a total area of 433,000 square metres. The project will be divided into three phases.

In addition to Ikea, the brands that will open stores at the mall include Marks & Spencer, Toys R Us, Ace Hardware, Intersport and other major regional retailers.

The consultancy team for the project has already been appointed.

• Design architects: DP Architects (Singapore)
• Architect of record: Arab Engineering Bureau (local)
• Quantity surveyor: EC Harris (UK)
• Project manager: Mace Group (UK)
• Architect (Ikea): Brewer Smith Brewer Gulf (UK)
• Auto park engineer: WSP (UK)
• Market research consultants: Portland Design Associates (UK), Coverpoint Catering Consultancy (UK)
• Leasing and marketing: Al-Futtaim (UAE)
• Development manager: Al-Futtaim
• Investment management: Al-Futtaim

The phased development is expected to be completed in 2015.

The mall project is owned and developed by Bawabat al-Shamal, the parent company, which is supplying the land to build the project. Bawbat al-Shamal comprises of four primary shareholders: Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank, Aqar Real Estate Investment Company and a private company.