Designed by leading Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) features a spectacular facade resembling two intertwined trees supporting the building's exterior canopy. The 250 metre (820 foot) long, curved steel tree structure forms the signature entrance to the QNCC.

The Centre’s facade portrays not just any kind of tree, but specifically the sidra, a beloved and multifaceted icon in Qatari culture.

The sidra tree is a beacon of learning and comfort in the desert. It is treasured by the Bedouins,
who used it for shelter and meetings. The sidra was a shady haven for poets and scholars, who gathered beneath its branches to discuss and impart knowledge. Its fruit, flowers and leaves were used to concoct traditional medicine.

Befittingly, the execution of Isozaki’s architectural vision was a gathering of skills and ideas from
all over the world. UK engineering firm Buro Happold undertook the design and fabrication challenges posed by the complex and unusual tree structure. The electronic data generated by the team was sent to the Belgium-based contractor, Victor Buyck Construction. The fabrication took place in Malaysia, with final assembly in Doha.

The tree structure has two main components. The visible exterior skin is a complex curved form. Underneath it is a structural core of octagonal tubes, each tube itself composed of flat steel plates. The whole tree is made up of 70 percent single curvature panels and 30 percent double curvature panels.

Arata Isozaki is one of the most influential architects practicing today. His work blends an Eastern architectural style with emerging global trends. Other notable works of Isozaki include the Kyoto Concert Hall, Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, Doha’s Weill Cornell Medical College and the Shenzhen Cultural Centre.