Brining modern oriental luxury to the heart of an ancient city

The Mandarin Oriental is one of the centrepiece offerings of the Downtown Doha project. The hotel comprises 250 guest rooms, of which 91 are apartment-style residences, as well as nine restaurants, two rooftop pools and separate spas for men and women. The hotel occupies a contemporary limestone building by John McAslan + Partners; its linear design echoes the sophisticated system of canopies and louvres that protect the square from the harsh Doha heat. These climate-controlled screens regulate sunlight and temperature to make it easier to linger outdoors. Like the square itself, the Mandarin Oriental, Doha building has LEED sustainability accreditation, so all interior fittings had to meet the highest environmental standards. SESC were engaged as commissioning consultants for the project in order to ensure the specialist systems involved in the construction were installed and handed over. Our team worked on custom made technologies for the project such as specially designed outdoor air conditioning curtains and bespoke retractable shade systems.