stone for universities and museums: some aspects of urban ...ucfbrxs/homepage/walks/qatar.pdfglobal...

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

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