Astad, the project management arm of Qatar Petroleum (QP), has awarded Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) an estimated QR775m ($212m) contract to build the Faculty of Islamic Studies in Doha.

CCC was competing against at least 10 other contractors to win the main construction package for the faculty building, which will be located at the Education City development on the outskirts of Doha.

The Faculty of Islamic Studies is in the southern zone of Education City. It will include classrooms, an auditorium, exhibition space, faculty offices, a mosque and an underground car park.

The project is expected to cover an area of 55,980 square metres and is scheduled for completion by August 2012.

QP is managing the scheme on behalf of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Social Development (QF).

In October 2010, Astad received bids from at least seven contractors to build the estimated QR1bn headquarters building for the Qatar Foundation at Education City. Contractors are still waiting for a decision from the client.

The project will involve the construction of a 12-storey headquarters building and a three-four-storey study centre.

The winning contractor will also be in charge of carrying out landscaping works, earthworks, substructure work and provision of utilities works. The utilities works will include the installation of water services, drainage, air-conditioning systems and security systems.

The buildings were designed by the Dutch architectural firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) and the project consultant is the UK’s Arup. The headquarters project is expected to take 24 months to complete (MEED 29:10:11).