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GlobalUrbanGeologyNo.1
©RuthSiddall;UCL,March2017
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StoneforUniversitiesandMuseums:SomeaspectsofUrbanGeologyinDoha,QatarRuthSiddall
ThecapitalofQatar,Doha,hasgrownlikeTopsyoverthelastfivedecades,fromatinytradingpostlocatedwhereacreekenteredanaturalharbourtothehugesprawlofthismoderncity.DohahasallthetrappingsoftheGulfstatesoftheMiddleEast;skyscrapers,extravagantshoppingmallsandevenmoreextravaganthotelsbuttherehasalsobeenmajorinvestmenthereineducationandculture.Thishasresultedintheworldstoparchitectsanddesignersbeinginvitedtodesignnewbuildingsforuniversitiesandmuseums,withnoexpensespared.
Qatar’sgeologicallegacyisoilandgasandnotbuildingstones.Thepeninsulaliesabovesea-levelduetotheQatar-SouthFarsArch,anorth-southtrending,broadanticlinalstructure.ThehydrocarbondepositsarehostedinthesubsurfaceMesozoicstrata,mainlywithintheJurassicArabFormationandtheoverlyingCretaceousShuaibaFormation,withmajoroilandgasplaysinDukhanonthewestofthepeninsulaandinoffshorefieldstothewest.Theonshore,surfacegeologyofthepeninsulaisdominatedbyEocenetoPliocenestrata,dividedintotheRus,Damman,DamandHofufFormations.TheRusFormationisdominatedbychalksandgypsumandtheoverlyingDammanFormationispredominantlydolomitesandmarls.Thesetwoformationsoccupy80%oftheexposedlandsurface.TheDamandHofufFormationsareexposedinstructuralhighsinthesouthofthepeninsula.TheDamFormationlargelycomprisesevaporites
andtheHofufFormationareclaysandsandstones(Al-Saad,2003and2005).
ThegeologicalmapofQatar(left)isfromAl-Saad(2015).
Holocenedepositsarerepresentedbycoastalsabkhas(salt-richcoastalzones),shellcoquinas(‘sabban’),dunefieldstothesouthneartheborderwithSaudiArabia(Mohammed&Al-Khayat,1994;Al-Thani,2012)andalsocaliches(duricrusts)cementedbygroundwaters.These‘desertstones’locallycalledfaroosh(Jodidio&Halbe,2014)wereusedforvernacularbuilding.GypsumfromtheRusFormation,sabbanandclayshavealsobeenexploitedinthepastastraditionalbuildingmaterials.TheOriginsofDohaProjecthasstudiedthestillremainingtraditionalbuildings,constructiontechniquesandmaterialsusedinDohaandisrecordingthefewoldhousesandotherbuildingsthatremain1.
StonetobuildmodernDohahasbeenimportedfromallovertheWorld.Thisshortguidetotheurbangeologyofthiscityjustscratchesthesurface.Thereisalotmoretobeseeninthehigh-endhotelsandshoppingmallsofWestBayandThePearl,andon-goingconstructionwillexpandtherangeofmaterialsused.NeverthelessIhopethatthisguidewillprovetobeofusetostaffandstudentsworkinginEducationCityandtouristswithaonedaystop-overwhowishtoexploreMsheireb,SoukWaqifandtheMuseumofIslamicArt.
Unlessotherwisecited,thearchitecturalinformationgivenhereisderivedfromJodidio&Halbe(2014).ThegeologicalobservationsarelargelymyownandIacceptallresponsibilityforanyerrorsherein.
1TheOriginsofDohaProjectbloghttps://originsofdoha.wordpress.com/about/
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EducationCity
EducationCityliesapproximately5kmwestofcentralDohaalongtheAlLuqtaStreetartery.TheregionisoccupiedbyanumberofinternationalcampusesandthebuildingsofHamidBinKhalifaUniversity(HBKU)aswellastheMathafartgallery,hospitals,parks,studentandstaffaccommodationandsportingfacilities.ThereisalsoaspectacularmosquedesignedbyMangeraYvarsArchitects(2017),withsweepingminaretspointingtowardsMecca.
ManyofthecurrentbuildingshavebeendesignedbytheMexican-basedarchitecturalfirmLegorreta+Legorreta.Asaconsequence,thereisastrongarchitecturalthemerunningthroughthecampusbuildings,bothintermsofdesignandmaterialsused.TheTurkishfirmHazMarblehavesuppliedmuchofthestoneforbuildingprojectsdescribedhereinEducationCity.However,althoughanumberofthesestoneshavebeenderivedfromTurkey,Hazarealsosuppliersofstonefromaroundtheworld.
GeorgetownUniversityandUCL-Q
UCL’sCampusissituatedinthebuildingbelongingtoGeorgetownUniversity.ItisoneofseveralbuildingsonthecampusdesignedbyMexicanarchitecturalfirmLegorreta+Legorretaandwascompletedin2010.ThedesignteamwereinfluencedbythearchitectureofMexico,similarlyahotclimate,butfocussedonastylethatwouldequallyfeelathomeinthedesertenvironmentoftheGulf.Doublewallswithscreensprotectwindowsandaseriesofcourtyardsandcommunalspacesgivesanairyfeeltothebuilding.
GeorgetownUniversity
ThesandstonescladdingtheexteriorofthebuildingcomefromIndia.Theyarederivedfrom4kmthickdepositsofcontinentalsedimentsintheVindhyanBasinwhichdominatesofthegeologyofthestateofRajasthan.Indeed,manyofthegreatbuildingsofthisregionofIndiaarebuiltfromthesesandstones,includingtheRedFortsofDelhiandAgra.Boththebuff-colouredandtheredsandstoneusedhereare
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derivedfromtheUpperBhanderSandstoneFormation.Thesesandstonesareancientrocks,aroundonebillionyearsold(1Ga).However,duetotheabsenceoffossils(therewasnolifeonlandatthistime),theyhaveprovedverydifficulttodate.Theyarealsoluckytohavesufferedneitherdeformationnormetamorphismandlookalmostasfreshasdidonthedaytheyweredepositedbyhugeriversystems.
TheVindhyansandstonedepositsarevast.Thereareover14,000quarriesintheBhanderGroup,andthestoneisquarriedoveranareaof34,000Km2.TheseRajasthansandstoneshavehighacidandthermalresistancepropertiesandsoworkwellinseashoreandwarmclimateenvironmentssuchasthoseencounteredintheGulf.
TheredsandstoneiscalledAgraRed.Itisanhomogenous,red,medium-grainedsandstone,technicallyanarenite-sublitharenite.Roundedquartzandminorfeldspargrainsarecoatedwithathincoatingoftheironoxide,hematiteandhematiteandsilicacementthesandgrainstogether.Afewlithoclasts(rip-upclasts)mayalsobepresent,andthisindicatesthefluvialoriginofthesestones(Banerjee&Banerjee,2010).Lookingclosely,thestoneisspeckledwithpale,grey-greenreductionspots,manyjustacoupleofmillimetresdiameter.AgraRedisquarriedaroundthetownsofBarauliandKarauliinEastRajasthan.
Thebuff-colouredsandstoneisverysimilartotheredintermsofitscomposition,texturesandenvironmentofdeposition,butsimplycontainsmuchlessiron.ItisquarriedatDholpur,nearAgraandismarketedasDholpurBeigeSandstone.
Interestingstonesarealsousedintheinteriorofthebuilding.Lookdown!Thefloorsarepavedwithagrey-greenstonefromTurkeycalledSeagrassLimestone(alsomarketedasRusticGreen).Thisstoneisalsousedpolishedforfurnitureandcountersintherefectoryandcommunalareasofthebuilding.Itisabeautifulstoneandthereismuchheretointeresttopalaeontologists;itispackedwithfossilswhicharepredominantlytheremainsofplanktonknownasforaminifera(usuallyshortenedto‘forams’).Thesearethevarietyknownasnummulites.Foramsareusuallyregardedasmicrofossils,meaningtheyarenotdiscernibletothenakedeye,buttheforamsinthisstonearemonstersoftheforamworld.HerethenummuliteAssilinaexponensisupto3cmdiameter.Theyareoftenseeninsection,buttheseorganismshadshellsformedofcoin-shapeddiscs.Kocyigit(1987)alsorecordsthespeciesNummulitesuroniensisaswellasAlveolinasp.,Orbitolitessp.,Cuvillerinasp.Howeverwhatmakesthisstonespecialformearetheabundant(true)macrofossils.Theseshowupwhiteagainsttherestofthestoneandaretheremainsofanumberofspeciesofechinoids–seaurchins.Seaurchinsshellsarepurecalcite,andthisenablesthempreserveexceptionallywellasfossils.Fragmentsofshellor‘test’arecommon,showingtheporesthroughwhichthecreature’stube-feetprotrudearecommonasaresectionsthroughwholeshells.Lesscommonbutworthlookingoutforarefragmentswiththe‘Aristotle’sLantern’preserved.Thisisapartoftheshellhousingtheurchin’smouth,anusandothermuscles,andappearsflower-shapedinsections.
Geologically,Seagrassisacalc-turbidite,essentiallyadepositleftbyaturbulentunderseacurrent,perhapstriggeredbyastormoranearthquake,thathassweptshelldebrisalongandredepositedit.TheforamshavesecuredaLowerLutetian,Eocenedate(around47Ma)forthisunitofstrata,whichiscalledtheBulakMemberoftheKarabükGroup.ItisquarriedinthevicinityofSafranboluinnorth-centralTurkey.
Eventhetoiletsareworthageologicalexcursion.IcannotspeakfortheGents,buttheLadiesarecladwithandbasinsmadefromabeautifulyellowlimestonecalledAmarilloTriana(left,fieldofview10cm).ThisisfromAndaluciainSpainandgeologicallycomesfromaTriassic-agedunitcalledtheMacaelMarble.Itisafine-grained,brightyellowdolomite,withanetworkoffinefracturesdevelopingdelicate,blackmanganeseoxidedendrites.Thesefeaturesareoftenmistakenforfossils,buttheyareinfacttree-likecrystalsformedofthe
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mineralromanechite(Potter&Rossman,1979).Theyellowcolourofthelimestoneisimpartedbytheironoxidehydroxidemineralgoethite.
EoceneechinodermandNummulitefossilsintheinteriorpavingofGeorgetownUniversityandUCLQatar.Clockwisefromtopleft;acircularsectionthroughasea-urchinshell(fieldofviewis15cm).Partialsectionthroughasea-urchinshellwithpreservationoftheAristotle’sLantern.AnotherexampleofpreservationofanAristotle’sLantern(fieldofviewis10cm).Afragmentoftheshellshowingadoublerowofpores.
NorthwesternUniversity,CollegeofMediaandCommunication(CMC)
NextdoortoGeorgetownUniversityisthebuildinghousingNorthwestern’sCollegeofMediaandCommunications,designedbyAntoinePredockandcompletedin2014.
Thisbuildingiscladinindividually-sizedblocksoftravertine.Travertinesarestrongandlightweightstoneswhicharecommonlyusedasdecorativecladding,andareoftencutatrightanglestothebeddingandpolishedtorevealtheirlaminatedstructure.Herethestonesareusedcreativelywitharough-hewnsurface
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totheblocks.SuppliedbyHazMarble,YellowTravertineissourcedfromTurkey,butthepreciseoriginisunknown;similarstonesareavailablefromseverallocations.ThemainareasinTurkeywhichhaveeconomicallyviabledepositsofyellow(andothercolour)travertinesareBitlis,intheeastnearLakeVan,
DenizliinthewestandSivasinnorthcentralTurkey(Erdogan,2011).Alloftheserockshavebeendepositedoverthelastmillionorsoyearsandsomeareonlyafewtensofthousandsofyearsold.
Thedepositionoftravertinesrequiresasourceoflimestoneandasourceofgeothermallyheatedwatertodissolvesaidlimestones.WhereaslimestonesarecommonrocksintheMediterraneanregionandMiddleEast,hotgroundwatersonlyoccurwherethereisvolcanicactivityordeepseatedfaults(orboth).LimestoneiscomposedofcalciumcarbonateandthisisdissolvedbythehotwatersatdepthandthencarriedinsolutionuntilthewaterescapestotheEarth’ssurfacealongfissuresandcools.Atthisstagethecalciumcarbonateprecipitatesoutofthewaterastravertines.
Left:NorthwesternUniversitycladinyellowtravertine.
HBKUStudentCentre
FormingthesocialhuboftheEducationCitycampus,andanotherbuildingdesignedbyLegorreta+Legorreta,thestudentcentrehousessupportservices,sportsandsocialspace.Thebuildingisarrangedaroundabeautifulcourtyard,withagardenandfountains,designedbyMexican-basedartistJanHendrix;thewhite,laser-cutaluminiumdecorativescreenisaninstallationcalledHelix.Thebuildingwascompletedin2010.
IndianDholpurBeigeSandstone,asusedatGeorgetownUniversityisusedagainheretocladtheexteriorofthebuilding,butitisworthgoinginsidethebuildingnotonlytoseethebeautifulgardencourtyardbutalsothecentralatriumcontainsanurbangeologicalgem.
YellowishRustGraniteisusedforpavingthroughoutthebuildingandalsoforseatinginthecourtyard.Likemanygranitesusedforthispurposetoday,thiscomesfromChina.Chinesestonesaremarketedunderanalphanumericsystemwhichrecordstherockvariety(inthiscaseGforgranite)andanumberdenotingtheprovinceoforiginandthequarry.ThisstoneislabelledG682,whichshowsthatitcomesfromShijinginFujianProvince,astatewithahugeamountofgraniteandgranitequarries.Thestoneisyellow,sometimeswithaslightlypinkshadeandcomposedofquartz,feldsparandbiotitemica.Rustspotshavedevelopedaroundtheiron-richmicasandtheoverallyellowstainisdowntotheironoxidehydroxidemineralgoethite.Suchstainingingranitesisoftentheeffectoftropicalweathering.
AnotherChinesestone,ChengdeGreenGranite,isusedforfurnitureandalsoforpaving(especiallyinthefoodcourtarea).Asthenamesuggests,thisisquarriednearthetownofChengdewhichislocatedinHebeiProvince,inthemountainsnorthofBeijing.Thisisacoarsegrainedrock,composedoflarge(1.5cm),grey-greensodicplagioclasefeldsparsandquartz.Perhaps,unexpectedlyforagranite,themaficmineralisorthopyroxene.Somefeldsparsarezonedandmayberimmedbybiotiteandopaqueoxides.Texturallyandcompositionally,thisrockisverymuchacharnockite,arockofgraniticcompositionbutwithpyroxeneasamajorrock-formingmineral.Theoriginofcharnockitesispoorlyunderstoodandthereisevidenceofbothmetamorphicandigneouspetrogenesis.MostcharnockitesareancientandthesecharnockitesfromtheNorthChinacratonare2.5billionyearsold.
Inthecentralareaofthestudentcentreisaspectacularuseofdecorativestone.Thisspace,withsocialseating,isalsothemainpointforascendingtotheupperfloors,butthestaircasesarecleverlyhiddenbylargepanelsofbook-matchedredtravertine,toformarepeatingpattern.Theseslabswouldhavebeencarefullycutfromasingleblockoftravertine,withslabsthenopenedlikeabooktogiveasymmetric
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design.Stonelikethisisverymuchaone-offfind.Travertineslikethis,withlarge,calcitecrystals,formincavities,fissuresandcavesinrocks.Thecombsofwell-shaped(euhedral)calcitecrystals,5-10cmlonghavegrownintoanopenspacewheretheirgrowthhasnotbeenhinderedbythepresenceofothersolids.Thisrockwouldhavebeenfullofholesinitsnaturalstate,butthevoidshavebeenfilledbyaresinwithafillerofcrushedstoneandadyetomatchthecolourofthenaturalstone.Theredcoloursweseeinthenaturalstoneareimpartedbytheironoxidemineralhematite.Theoriginofthesestonesisunknown,butTurkeyiscertainlyalikelyplaceofprovenance,wheresuchtravertinescanforminthecavitiesdevelopedalongfaultplanes.
Book-matchedtravertinepanelsintheHBKUStudentCentre.Below:largecalcitecrystalsandresin-filledcavities.
TexasA&MandCarnegieMellonUniversitiesinQatar
BuildingsforthesetwoAmericanUniversitiesaresituatednexttoeachother,oppositetheStudentCentreandtheytooweredesignedbyLegorreta+Legorretaandwerethefirstbuildingsbythisarchitecturalfirm
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tobecompletedatEducationCityin2008.ContinuityinthestyleandthemeofthebuildingsagaincontinueswiththeuseofDholpurBeigeSandstoneasthemainmaterialusedforcladdingtheexterior.
Arose-pinkstoneisusedtocladthesteps,tower,pyramids,waterfeatureandwallsaroundtheTexasandCornellbuildings,formingacontrasttotheDholpurSandstone.AlsosuppliedbyHazMarblefromquarriesinTurkey,thisredtravertineismostprobablyfromAltintasnearKutahyawhichisfamousforred(andwhite)deposits,knownnotunsurprisinglyasKutahyaRed(right).ThesearePliocene-Quaternaryagetravertineswhichareassociatedwithgeothermalwatersassociatedwithvolcanicactivity,andthetravertinesoverlylavas.Thevolcanicrocksarethesourceofironoxidewhichhasturnedthetravertinesredandalarminglytheyarealsoratherenrichedinarsenic…(seeDogan&Dogan,2007),butthisshouldnotposeanyriskfromstonesusedontheexteriorofthebuilding.ThetravertineusedonTexasA&MandCornellhasbeenfleuri-cut,meaningthatithasbeencutparalleltothelaminationinthetravertines.Thisgivesapleasing,blotchy,mottledappearancetothestone.
Museums
Qatarhassomefabulousmuseums,botharchitecturallyandintermsoftheircollections.Theyalsohavesomeamazingurbangeology.
Mathaf
TheMuseumofmodernArabartislocatedclosetoEducationCityinwhatwasonceaschoolandhasnowbeenremodelledtohousethemuseumbyJean-FrançoisBodin(2010).Mathafmeans‘museum’inArabicandthisgalleryhousesapermanentcollectionandexhibitionsshowcasingthecontemporaryartoftheArabregion.Thebuildingitselfiswhiteandfunctional.Itisallabouttheart.Themaingeologicalinterestherearethelargesculpturesinstalledoutsidethemuseum,createdbysculptorsAdamHeneinandIsmailFattahwhohavebothchosenAswanGraniteastheirmedium.
AdamHenein’ssculptureShip(2008-2010;detail,left)standsoutsidethemuseum.HeneinisverymuchinfluencedbyancientEgyptiansculptureandusesthesamematerialsusedbyancientEgyptians,namelythegranitesquarriedatAswan.Thepink
granite,withlargerose-pinkcrystalsofpotassicfeldsparisAswanMonumentalGranite,alsoknownasGranitoRossoAntico.Italsocontainsyellowsodicfeldspars,quartz,biotiteandhornblende.Theblack
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stoneusedisAswanTonalitewhichhasphenocrystsofwhiteandpinkpotassicfeldspars,inadarkgroundmassofhornblende,feldspar,biotiteandminorquartz.
IsmailFatteh’sTheGuardianoftheFertileCrescent(2001-2010)isalsocarvedfromAswanMonumentalGranite.TheMonumentalGraniteistheearliestintrusionoftheAswangranitesuite,intrudedintoc.620Magneissicbasement.TheAswanTonaliteisco-evalwithorslightlyyoungerthantheMonumentalGranite.Geochemically,theyareA-type,shoshoniticgranitoids,formedduringthelateorogenicextensionalphaseofthecollisionoftheArabianNubianShieldandtheSaharanMetacratonduringthePan-AfricanOrogeny(seeFingeretal.,2008).TheAswanquarrieshavebeeninoperationsincethethirdmillenniumBC(Klemm&Klemm,2008).
TheShip,AdamHenein(2008-10).
MuseumofIslamicArt(MIA)
ThejewelinQatar’ssubstantialculturalcrownistheMuseumofIslamicArt(MIA)designedbyChinese-AmericanarchitectI.M.Peiandcompletedin2008.PeiofcourselookedtothetraditionsofIslamicarchitectureforhisinspirationanddesignedabuildingbasedonasmallablutionsfountain,asabil,intheMosqueofIbnTuluninCairo.Anoctagonalbaseriseupinstepstogeometricsquares.Thisheightisseenwithintheatriumofthemuseumwherethereisacentralcourtwithafountainandhugemulti-storeywindowslookingouttowardsRichardSerra’smonumentalsteelsculpture‘Seven’.ThestructureoftheMIAissimpleandausterebutitisalsooneoftheworld’smostbeautifulmuseums.
Themuseumispredominantlycladwithanivory-colouredFrenchlimestone,theOolitheBlanche.Itisalsousedforpavingandfurnitureintheatriumofthebuilding.ThisstoneisquarriedfromseveralquarriesintheCôted’OrregionofBurgundyandspecificvarietiesarenamedafterthesequarries.ThestoneusedhereisextractedfromthesamestratawhichoutcropsinboththequarriesatMagny-LambértandChamesson,whicharearound7kmapart.Thisstoneisacalcarenite–alimestonethathasformedfromtheaccumulationofparticles,shellfragmentsandsphericalooids.Evidenceofthecurrentsthatdepositedthesesedimentsintheshallow,warmseasoftheBurgundianPlatformcanbeseeninthecross-beddingwhichiswelldevelopedinmostofthestonesusedinthisbuilding.TheOolitheBlancheisofBathonian,Jurassicage.
TheblackstoneusedforpavingbothinsideandoutoftheMIAandforthebandsanddressingontheexteriorisadolerite(ordiabaseifyou’refromUSA)calledJetMist.Thisisamediumgrained,orthopyroxene-richdolerite,whichwasinterlayeredatthetimeofintrusionwithaplagioclase-richanorthosite(‘leucocraticdiabase’).Thisaccountsforthestreaksofgrey‘mist’whichcross-cuttherock.ThisstoneisfromRapidan,VirginiaintheUSAandhasbeenquarriedfromdoleritesheets(withassociated
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basaltflows)whichwereintrudedintoUpperTriassic-LowerJurassicsedimentsoftheCulpeperBasinduringthemiddleJurassic,198yearsago(Tolloetal.,1987).
Floorpaving,wallcladdinganddisplayfurnitureinthegalleriesuseaspeckledchocolatebrownstone,eitherhonedwithamoderatepolishortexturedbyagroovedsurfacecut.ThisisavolcanicrockfromArgentinePatagoniacalledPorfidoPuertoMadryn.Thisisnotacommonlyuseddecorativestonebutitsrichyetsubduedcoloursandtexturesareperfectforthisenvironment.Rightlyso,thelightinginthegalleriesisfocusedontheobjectsinthemuseumratherthanthestoneworkandthismeansthestoneisdifficulttosee.Howeveronceonegetsone’seyein,thestreaky,granulartextureofthestoneisclear.PredominantlycomposedofQuartz,feldsparandvolcanicglass,streakyblebsarefiammé,anItalianwordmeaning‘flame’,referringtotheirshape.Thistextureistypicalofhot,ash-flowtuffs,avarietyofviolentpyroclasticflowsknownasanignimbrite.Theseeruptiveproductsarederivedfromaphaseoflarge-scalecalderavolcanismassociatedwiththebreak-upofGondwanaintheMid-Jurassic.TheybelongtotheMarifilFormationoftheChubutGroup,whichnowformtheSierraChataofChubutProvinceinPatagonia.ThequarriesarelocatedinthehinterlandofthetownofPuertoMadryn.
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(PreviousPage)StonesintheMIA:Clockwisefromtopleft;TheMIAasseenfromtheDhowHarbour.OolitheBlanchewithcross-beddingandshelldebris.PorfidoPuertoMadrynwiththestreakytexturetypicalofignimbrites(fieldofview10cm).JetMistdolerite.
Inthecentralatriumandstaircases,theyellowstone(left)usedasdecorativeinlayintheinteriorfloorsalongwithJetMistandOolitheBlancheisSienaMarblefromTuscanyinItaly.Thisisadistinctivestone,acalcitemarblecolouredbytheironoxidehydroxidemineralgoethite.Itoftenhasdarkpurplestreakstooandthevarietyusedherealsohasnumerouswhitepatches.ItisaJurassiccalcitemarblethatunderwentmetamorphismduringAlpinetectonismintheEocene.
SienaMarblehasbeenmainlyworkedinthe19thand20thCenturiesfromquarries,ownedbythelocalconvent,locatedonMonteArrentiinthehinterlandofthecityofSienainTuscany,Italy.
MIAPark
MIAParkispartofI.M.Pei’smasterplanforthelandscapeandsettingoftheMuseumandwasdesignedalongwithit,includingtheartificialbaycurvingawayaroundtheCorniche.ThelandscapearchitectwasMichelDesvignePaysagiste.AbeautifullysculpturalwhitelimestonebenchissituatedinMIAPark,afewmetersalongtheCornichefromtheMuseum(below).Entitledsimply‘Bench’,thisfunctionalsculptureisbyLebaneseartistSalouaRaoudaChoucair(1916-2017)andwascreatedin1971.ItbelongstoMathaf’scollection.ThisisagreatplaceforasitdowntotakeintheviewacrossthebaytoRichardSerra’s‘Seven’.Howeveritisalsoeasytolookdownandtobedistractedbythefossilsandothertexturesofthisstone.Thebenchismadeupof17blocksofshaped,honed,finegrainedlimestone,lockedtogetherlikejigsawpieces.
Thestoneusedisafine-grained,micriticlimestonewithstylolites.Fossilsareconcentratedinlayersclearlyparalleltobedding.Theseincludefragmentsofrudistbivalves,smallgastropodsaround1cminlengthandlarger(5-8cm),well-preservedNerineasp.gastropodsandTrochactaeonsp.,anActeonelloidgastropod(Kollmann,2014).
Ihavenotbeenabletoidentifytheprovenanceofthislimestone,butfromthefossils,presentitisofUpperJurassicorCretaceousage.ApossiblematchistheJurassic,whitelimestonequarriedatTraniinPuglia,Italy.
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FossilsinthebenchinMIAPark.Clockwisefromtopleft;Rudistbivalves(fieldofview25cm).ANerineoidgastropod.NereneoidandActeonelloidgastropods(fieldofview10cm).Gastropodsandstylolite(fieldofview5cm).
MsheirebDowntownComplex
ThisregionofDoha,justinlandfromtheCornicheandwestofSoukWaqifisamajorredevelopmentprojectinDohawhichisregeneratingaformerresidentialandcommercialdistrict.TheplanistocreateaspacewherethefeelofoldDohastillexists,witharchitectureinfluencedbytraditionsandthepreservationofolderbuildings.Importantly,Msheirebisaplaceforpedestrians,intendedasan‘urbanneighbourhood’withschools,residentialareas,officespaceandculturalorganisations.Theareaisbeingdevelopedduringfivephasesofconstruction,toanoverallarchitecturalplanbyJohnMcAslan+Partners.Phase1islargelycompleteandincludestheJumaaMosque,thebuildinghousingQatar’sNationalArchivesandtherestoredhousesthatcomprisetheMsheirebMuseum.ThesebuildingshavebeencladinOryxLimestone.ThisisaJurassiclimestone,provenancedfromIbriinnorthernOman.Itisacalcarenite,withreworkedclastsofcoralsandotherreefalmaterialincludingshelldebris.Overall,thisispurewhite,withthesuperficialappearanceofa‘true’marble,butlookmorecloselyanditsispackedwithdetritalfossilmaterial.OryxisoneofthefewArabianstonesusedforconstructioninDoha.GeologicallyOmanisfamousfortheSemail
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ophiolitecomplex,asliceofCretaceoussea-floorobductedontocontinentalcrustduringtheAlpine-Arabianmountain-buildingphase.TheIbrilimestonesbelongtotheHawasinaNappe,anallochthonoussectionoftheArabianCarbonatePlatform,tectonicallyunderlyingtheSemailNappes(seeBechennecetal.,1990).
TheJumaaMosque,Msheireb,cladwithOryxLimestone.
MsheirebMuseum
TheMsheirebMuseumisaneighborhoodoffour,separatehouseswhichhavebeenrestoredandremodeledasexhibitionspaces.OfthesetheRadwaniHouse(seebelow)hasbeenrestoredwithsympathytotraditionalQatariarchitecture.TheMohammedBinJassimHouse–builtbythesonofthefounderofthemodernstateofQatar-currentlyhasadisplayrelatingtothearchitectureandmaterialsusedintheMsheirebDowntownComplexdevelopment.Allthehousesfeaturebeautiful,serenedesignsandareworthvisitingfortheirarchitecturalbeautyaswellastheexhibitionsconcerningthesocialhistoryofDoha.ThegeologicalaspectsoftheBinJelmoodandRadwaniHousesaredescribedbelow.
BinJelmoodHouse
TheBinJelmoodHousehasapermanentexhibitiononthehistoryofslaveryintheArabandwiderworld.ThegalleriesarelocatedaroundacentralcourtyardintheformofatraditionalQatarihouse,howeverthearchitectureisentirelymodern.Thecourtyardisaccessibleandcontainsareflectingpoolandaseatingareawithstripedpavingofpurplestone.Thisisavolcanicrock,TrentinoPorphyryfromtheTrento-BolzanoregionofnorthernItaly.Herea2kmthickvolcanicpilewaseruptedfromsubaerialfissuresduringthePermian.Theresultinglavasarerhyolites,withquartzandfeldsparphenocrysts.Thishasbecomeawidelyexportedstone,usedespeciallyforoutdoorpavingandcobblesandthereareover80quarriesinoperation(Perrier,1998).TrentinoPorphyryisusedinincontrastingstripeswithashellgravel.
‘Sabban’isalocalnameforanaccumulationofshells,acoquina.AlThani(2012)inhisdescriptionofthegeographyandlandscapeofQatarnotesthatsuchdepositscanbefoundsomedistancefromthepresentshoreline.Severalvarietiesofshellsarepresentbuttinygastropodsarethemostabundant,Clypeomorus
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bifasciatusandotherCerithshells,asdescribedbyMohammedetal.(1994).Sabbanisusedas‘gravel’inthecourtyardoftheBinJelmoodHouse.Howevertheshelldepositswerealsomixedwithcementandcasttoformalight-weightbreezeblockwhichwasusedforbuildinginthemid20thCentury.IndeedblocksofthismaterialwerefoundduringtherestorationoftheMsheirebMuseumhousesandanexampleisondisplayintheMohammedBinJassimHouse,alongwithmaterialsusedintheconstructionofthecurrentdevelopmentofthisquarter.Sabbanwastraditionallyusedincourtyardsasitreduceddust.
SabbanandTrentoPorphyryintheCourtyardiftheBinJelmoodHouse.
Thewallandpatiosurroundingthereflectingpoolarecladinayellow,fossiliferouslimestone.Themainevidenceforlifeherearetheabundantburrows–bioturbation–representingtrackwaysleftbywormsandotherburrowingseacreatures.Shellfossilsarealsopresent,includingbivalvesandgastropods.AfewexcellentexamplesofNerineoidgastropodsarepresent,upto10cminlength.ThemainfeatureoftheNerineoideagastropodsaretheircomplexinternalcavities.Theseareknownas‘plaits’(Kollmann,2014)andtheseareparticularlyintricateinthePtygmatididaefamilyofNerineodia,wheretheyarethin,foldedandbifurcate,producingadelicateappearanceinsection.‘Ptygma’meansfoldedinGreek.Severalspeciesarepresentinthisstone.
AsectionthroughaNerineoidgastropod,10cmlong,showingthecomplex‘plaits’oftheinternalcavities.
Unfortunatelytheoriginofthisstoneisunknown.Fromthefossils,itisprobablyCretaceousinage.Itcouldhavebeenderivedfromam=numberoflocationsintheMediterraneanregion,fromSpaintoIsrael.
RadwaniHouse
TheRadwaniHouseisarecreationofatraditionalQatarifamilyhomeasitwouldhaveappearedinthelate1960s.Variousroomsofdifferentfunctionareaccessedfromacloisteredcentralcourtyard.RoomsonthenorthernsideofthecourtyardhavebeenexcavatedbyUCLQatarstudentsundertheOriginsofDoha
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Projectin2012-2013andhaverevealedanolderdomesticcomplexwithabathhouse.ThesewerethefirstarchaeologicalexcavationstohavetakenplaceinDoha.TheRadwaniHouseitselfdatesfromthe1920sandhasacourtyardwithsabbangravel.Thecommunalroom,themajlis,hastraditionalventilationgrillsmadefromintricatelycarvedgypsum,eachoneofadifferentdesign.Gypsum,quarriedlocallyfromtheEarlyEoceneRusFormationwasusedtomakethedecorativegrillsusedtoventilatethehouses,situatedoverlintelsandaroundtheeavesofhouses.ThisuseofgypsumisverymuchpartofDoha’svernaculararchitectureanditscarvingwasalocalcraftspecialisation(seeMorgan,2014).
TheRadwaniHousewithtraditionalgypsumgrillsabovethewindows.
NationalMuseumofQatar
ThenewNationalMuseumofQatarisstillunderconstructionatthetimeofwritinginSpring2017.HowevertheexternalstructureisbeginningtotakeshapeandIamreliablyinformedthatthecollections,representingthearchaeology,culture,historyandnaturalhistoryofQatararealsobeingputtogether.Thebuildingiscladwithreconstitutedstoneslabs,butitisnotthegeologyofthematerialsusedwhichisofinteresthere,geologyhasinspiredtheentirebuilding.DesignedbyFrencharchitectJeanNouvel,thestructureofthemuseumisbasedonthatofgypsumdesertroses.
Desertrosesforminaridenvironmentsinephemerallakes(playas)andsabkhasbythecrystallisationofplatycrystalsofgypsum(CaSO4.2H2O)inthesubsurfaceenvironment,wherethewatertableintersectsthesediment.Massesoftheserose-likecrystalgrowth-formscanoccurinsuchenvironmentsandtheyarecommondepositsalongthecoastalregionsoftheGulf.(seeAl-Hussainietal.,2015).
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Above:TheNationalMuseumofQatarslowlycrystallises.Below:Gypsumdesertroses.
SoukWaqif
Asouk(marketplace)hasstoodonthissiteforseveralcenturies;Lockerbie,inhisblogpostsdatingfrom2005-2017,reproducesomeoftheearliestphotographsoftheDohasettlement,locatedontheshoresofawidebay(‘doha’meansbayinArabic)wherethecreekofWadiMsheirebentersthesea.Thesouknaturallygrewaroundtheportasthepointofsaleforgoodstraded.Today’sSoukWaqifhaslargelybeenrebuilt,butinthestyleofthevernaculararchitecture.TheprojectwasoverseenbythePrivateEngineeringOffice(PEO)operatingundertheauspicesoftheEmiriDiwanandwascompletedin2008.TheoveralldesignwascreatedbyQatariartistMohamedAliAbdulla,who’sfatherhadownedashopintheoldsoukandwhohadthereforegrownupthere.Theoverallaimwasnottoproduceathemepark,buttorecreateaworkingmarketplace,andthishasbeenachieved.SoukWaqifistheonlyopenairshoppingspaceinDohaandhasbeendesignedforlocals,tourists,merchantsandresidentsalike.
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TheconstructionandreconstructionofSoukWaqifhasusedtraditionaltechniquesandmaterials.NosteelandonlyminimalconcretehasbeenusedinthereconstructionoftheSouk(seeEddisford2015).Mangrovewood(danshal)beamsarebeenusedtosupportceilingsandlintels,thesuperstructureisbuiltlargelyofsun-bakedclaybricksandwallsarecoatedwithamudorgypsumplaster(Radoine,2010).Traditionally,aformofbeachrock,knownlocallyasfarooshwasthemainbuildingstone,usedasrubblemasonry.ThiswasanabundantmaterialalongtheshoresofQatarandformsinwarmandtropicalwatersbythecementationoflittoralsedimentsbycalciumcarbonate.Itisarelativelyfast-formingandsurprisinglyhardanddurablerock.Bythe21stCentury,localfarooshwasnolongeravailable,butasimilarmaterialwassourcedfortheproject(Jodidio&Halbe,2014).
TheBirdMarketinSoukWaqif.Rubblemasonryconstruction,withwoodenpolessupportingtheceilings.
ThereconstructionoftheSoukhasnotbeenwithoutcontroversyasthishasbeenreconstructionratherthanconservationofanhistoricsite(seeRadoine,2010).
ThereislittlegeologyonshowintheSouk,howevertheamazingfossilsinthestonecladdingofAlJasraHotelonAlJasraStreet,neartothefalconsoukiswellworthalook.
AlJasraHotel
Thepavingoutsidethehotelandcladdingintheporchareaisaspectacular,fossiliferousstone,NerineaMarble.WehaveencounteredNerineoideagastropodspreviouslyinMIAParkandattheBinJelmoodHouseandotherbuildingsoftheMsheirebMuseum.Howeverinbothoftheselocalities,wearerewardedwithonlyafewexamplesofthisfossilaftersearchingoverthestone.Thegastropodsherecannotbemissed,thestoneispackedwiththem.TheyhavelargeS-andZ-shapedplaitsandareinamatrixwhichvarieswithcolourfromdarkgreytoshadesofbrown.Thecolourvariationisdowntovariableironcontentandoxidationconditions.Thefossilstoohavebeenaffectedbythis,withsomestainedbrightredororange.Theoriginalsedimentaryrockwasblackwithwhiteshells(seeinsetinthephotographbelow).Fossilsare10-15cminlength.ThisstoneisderivedfromSESpain,fromthemountainsinlandofValencia(Anon,2013).ItisJurassicinageandrepresentsalow-energy,shallowmarineenvironmentwhichhasaccumulatedtheseshellsinalayer,buthasnotcausedthemtobebrokenup.TheyareprobablythespeciesNerineabononiensis.Thisstonehasrecentlybecomeavailableonthemarketandthesuppliersarekeentoassociateitwithhigh-endprojects.
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IndexofStones
AgraRed–GeorgetownUniversityandUCLQatar.
AmarilloTriana–RestroomsinGeorgetownUniversityandUCLQatar.
AswanMonumentalGranite–Mathaf
AswanTonalite–Mathaf
ChengdeGreenGranite–HBKUStudentCentre
DholpurBeigeSandstone–GeorgetownUniversityandUCLQatar,HBKUStudentCentre,TexasA&MandCarnegieMellonUniversities.
Gypsum–RadwaniHouse(MsheirebMuseum)
JetMist–MuseumofIslamicArt
KutahyaTravertine–TexasA&MandCarnegieMellonUniversities.
NerineaMarble–AlJasraHotel
OolitheBlanche–MuseumofIslamicArt
OryxLimestone–MsheirebDowntownComplex
PorfidoPuertoMadryn–MuseumofIslamicArt
RustGraniteG682–HBKUStudentCentre
SeagrassLimestone–GeorgetownUniversityandUCLQatar.
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TrentinoPorphyry–MsheirebDowntownComplex
YellowTravertine–NorthwesternUniversity
Sabban–MsheirebMuseum
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TheNationalArchivesintheMsheirebDowntownComplex,cladinOryxLimestonefromOman.
Howtocitethisarticle:
Siddall,R,2017,StoneforUniversitiesandMuseums:SomeaspectsofUrbanGeologyinDoha,Qatar.,GlobalUrbanGeologyNo.1.,19pp.,http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/walks/Qatar.pdf
©DrRuthSiddall,UniversityCollegeLondon,GowerStreet,LondonWC1E6BT,UK:[email protected]://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/UrbanGeology.htm;Facebook|Cultural&UrbanGeology|Twitter:@R_Siddall|#UrbanGeology