Italian marble to be used for Doha luxury mall

Rome - Al Hazm, a luxury mall in Doha, will be built by the entrepreneur Muhammed Al Emadi, who wishes to reproduce Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in the Qatari desert. The impressive numbers of material ordered are: 70,000 tonnes of Carrara marble, along with 7500 tonnes of Yellow Siena marble and 45,000 of Travertine marble.

The outdoor spaces of the mall were recently inaugurated, while the arcade will open in October. An exception is being made to invitees for festivities of the day of the Italian Republic, which will be celebrated on Monday in the incredible display of the arcade. "It is a majestic arcade. The visual impact is better than what appears in photos," said the Italian Ambassador in Doha, Pasquale Salzano. He was speaking about this visionary project designed 10 years ago when Al Emadi was visiting Milan and was impressed by the architectural beauty of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. That was when the entrepreneur decided to reproduce the same atmosphere in Qatar. Tonnes of precious materials have been shipped from Italy, as well as olive trees from Tuscany to embellish the 'piazza', which the Renaissance style building overlooks.

The ambassador explained that the project recalls the arcades created in Italy during the 19th century by the emerging elite. They "recreated inclusive open spaces to socialise and walk around in freely, in order to meet friends or business partners, surrounded by architectural beauty while tasting the best of Italian products. These majestic constructions were made of marble, surmounted by glass and iron domes. They were the product of iconic urban architecture." With this in mind, Al Hazm will showcase the essence of 'living Italian style'. It will 'exhibit the Italian attitude' by promoting the excellence of Italy in Qatar, a country with tremendous purchasing power and the highest per capita GDP in the world. It is the location where many different sectors can find placement, ranging from fashion and wine to food products and high technology.

"From the moment I arrived in Doha a few weeks ago, I have been impressed by the hospitality of the Qatari people. They have a commitment to achieve great results with the most sophisticated designs and the best technology, investing in education and creating a community of high level professionals, " said the Italian ambassador. "I am certain that this modern 'Galleria italiana', in the very heart of this beautiful city, will represent a symbol of that special friendship which binds the State of Qatar and the Republic of Italy".