Developed by Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation, the Msheireb project involves a restoration of 750,000 square metres of downtown Doha. It will restore old buildings and develop new ones in a style evocative of traditional Qatari architecture.

Msheireb will contain 226 buildings when it is complete at the end of 2016, and will house about 27,600 residents. It will have parking for 13,700 cars, a dedicated tramway, and commercial and residential properties.

The real estate scheme will also accommodate retail, cultural and entertainment areas, and 122,217 sq m of parks. Its landmark buildings will include the National Archive, a theatre and four hotels, including the five-star Mandarin Oriental. There will also be a heritage quarter and a primary school for 300 pupils.