Simona Azzali | James Cook University, Singapore (original) (raw)

JOURNAL PAPERS by Simona Azzali

The Journal of Public Space, 2019

In the last decades, many emerging countries have been staging mega sporting events more and more... more In the last decades, many emerging countries have been staging mega sporting events more and more frequently. Among those nations, Qatar stands out for being the first Arab country to host a FIFA World Cup. With the rationale of diversifying its economy and promoting itself as a tourist destination, Doha, its capital city, has recently staged many international events and is literally under construction, undergoing important changes in terms of transportation, infrastructure, and sports facilities. While hosting cities and organising committees often promote the supposed benefits of a mega event, experience shows an opposite trend: outcomes from staging major events are mostly harmful, and their effects are planned to last only for a short time. When it comes to sporting events sites, stadiums, and their precincts, they usually become under-used and very costly to maintain in a very short time, and their precincts are completely abandoned. What will be the destiny of the 2022 World Cup stadiums and infrastructure? How can this event be leveraged as a momentum of experimentation and sustainable growth of its capital city, Doha? Is it possible to transform the Cup's stadiums and precincts into liveable, enjoyable and well-integrated public spaces and neighbourhoods? This work focuses on the city of Doha, which hosted the 2006 Asian Games and will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup and aims to identify strategies to plan and maximise the post-event use of event sites and venues, more specifically stadiums, to generate more liveable and sustainable public spaces. The article investigates Doha's public spaces, and analyses the government's legacy plans for the 2022 World Cup, with a specific focus on stadiums and their precincts. The research aims to be a warning to future hosting cities and presents a series of suggestions on how to best leverage the stage of mega sporting events to promote healthy and liveable public spaces.

While Singapore often tops the rankings as the most liveable city in Asia, especially due to its ... more While Singapore often tops the rankings as the most liveable city in Asia, especially due to its easy access to public amenities, active mobility, including walking and cycling, only accounts for a minority of all ridership in the city-state. This raises two key questions: 1) what factors hinder walkability in Singapore and 2) how can the built environment be improved to promote active mobility. This study argues that the lack of detailed urban design guidelines impedes the creation of pedestrian-friendly environments, especially for public housing neighbourhoods that form the main urban landscape of Singapore. It first diagnoses the main problems pertaining to poor walkability of public housing neighbourhoods at four different dimensions, namely connectivity, closeness and spatial distribution, comfort and safety. Then, it explores the possibility of using Form-based Codes (FBC) to improve walkability for these areas. On this basis, a series of guidelines and recommendations for improving walkability in public housing neighbourhoods are proposed. This study for the first time explores applying FBC to high-density tropical cities in Asia. The research findings indicate that the FBC principles and methods for improving neighbourhood walkability are also potentially useful for other similar urban environments of tropical Asian cities.

Nowadays, sustainable mobility is a main challenge addressed by policy-makers, public managers a... more Nowadays, sustainable mobility is a main challenge addressed by policy-makers, public managers and scholars worldwide. This research presents a set of guidelines and solutions to support the design of a more sustainable mobility plan for Qatar University. A review of literature, case-studies and research initiatives is used to derive key issues; while a multi-layered methodology (primary data analyses, direct observations, and a survey) is used to design and implement a comprehensive framework to improve the current mobility system, by introducing new services and assessing the use of services which are already in place. The proposed framework can support further investigations aimed at defining new ways to face the sustainable mobility challenge within higher education institutions.

In the 1990s, the municipality of Rio de Janeiro initiated a new policy that involved the use of ... more In the 1990s, the municipality of Rio de Janeiro initiated a new policy that involved the use of mega sporting events as tools for urban redevelopment and regeneration of the city. This strategy culminated in the hosting of the 2014 Fédération Internationale de Football Association football World Cup and the 2016 summer Olympic Games. Through interviews with experts and bid book analysis, the paper aims to assess the impact of this strategy on Rio de Janeiro and its population, with a specific focus on the 2016 summer Olympic Games and two main Olympic clusters, Maracanã and Barra da Tijuca. Indeed, the 2016 Games were touted as a way to promote sustainable development in the city, and, also, social inclusion. However, the results show a very harmful impact of the Olympics on Rio de Janeiro. First, they increased the physical fragmentation and polarisation of the city; second, they aggravated social and economic inequalities among the local population.

Way-finding is the ability of people to perceive routes, flow patterns, or passageways inside and... more Way-finding is the ability of people to perceive routes, flow patterns, or passageways inside and/or around a building. In other words, it is the capability of a person to know their whereabouts in a space. Modular buildings and complex spatial plan structure, in general, can be very confusing, especially from a way-finding point of view. is research attempts to measure the way-finding performance of a modular building by assessing the users' experience in finding their way inside the Male Engineering Building at Qatar University. e study involved students, faculty, and staff members that utilize that space daily. e research focused on accessing indoor spaces as well as the walkways and spaces connected to the building. Results show that parameters as the use of colours and numbers can improve capability and swiftness in way-finding. In future research, several types of signage and visual elements will be tested, in order to understand how they can enhance way-finding efficiency and user performance within indoor spaces.

MEI – Middle East Insights Series, 2018

Since the 1990s, the Gulf region has experienced unprecedented economic development, along with r... more Since the 1990s, the Gulf region has experienced unprecedented economic development, along with rapid urban growth and motorisation. Together, this has created new social and business opportunities for the local populations but also important challenges for the local governments, especially with regard to sustainable development. Urban sprawl, lack of planning, harsh weather conditions, the absence of pedestrian walkways, and — until now — an absence of public transport are among the main problems that some of the major Gulf cities face. Doha, in particular, has almost quadrupled in terms of population size over the past two decades, growing from around 450,000 people in 1995 to almost 2 million today. This rapid population expansion has led to a vast urban growth, with the construction of new neighbourhoods, shopping malls, and other amenities, and completely reshaped the city.

This article aims to describe the urban planning processes and the construction sector in Qatar’s capital city. It looks at Doha’s planning management and briefly explains some of the links between the oil and gas and the real estate sectors. It highlights the lack of sustainable planning practices, noting that construction in the city is characterised by the proliferation of mega-projects and the role of sports in the planning process. The article then looks at the social and spatial fragmentation of the city and concludes with recommendations for policy changes.

Motorisation is increasing globally, especially in major cities of Asia and the Gulf region. To i... more Motorisation is increasing globally, especially in major cities of Asia and the Gulf region. To illustrate, over the last decades, Doha, the capital city of Qatar, has experienced a fast urban growth along with a wide increase in the need for new transportation options. Recently, the Qatari Government has planned to improve Doha's transport system, by developing projects that include a new metro and light rail scheme. On the other hand, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)'s track record provides a compelling case for more cities to consider it as a transit priority. Within this context, this article critically examines three relevant factors (implementation time, cost effectiveness, and performance) for the successful dissemination of BRTs in relation to the city of Doha. The article argues that the implementation of a BRT scheme is a beneficial and effective alternative to the metro scheme that is under construction in the city.

The rapid diffusion of themed-sport areas as legacies of mega-sporting events is a phenomenon gai... more The rapid diffusion of themed-sport areas as legacies of mega-sporting events
is a phenomenon gaining growing attention worldwide. An example of this is offered by the city of Doha. On the occasion of the 2006 Asian Games, the capital of Qatar faced some important urban transformations. The main legacy left after staging the event is the implementation of the Aspire Zone, Doha’s Sports City. Is this legacy beneficial in the long-term? What value is added to the city and its inhabitants? Moreover, what is the role of sports events in urban regeneration and their link with urban renewal processes? This study attempts to provide insight into the potential offered by themed-sport areas as legacies of mega-events. It aims to evaluate the rationale for the realization of sports-dedicated zones, analyzing their impact from a physical and social perspective.
Specifically, the research offers an investigation into the long-term effect of the Aspire Zone, Doha Sports City, by conducting a post-occupancy evaluation. Conclusions show that there is potential to realize sports-oriented areas that are fully integrated into cities, but the design of a comprehensive and long-term plan is needed. Moreover, providing a sports city with a variety of different activities and functions will contribute to attracting different types of users and will avoid occasional use.

The London 2012 Olympics were the first Games with a legacy plan already in execution well before... more The London 2012 Olympics were the first Games with a legacy plan already in execution well before the beginning of the event. This study aims at evaluating the legacies of this Olympic edition, with particular regard to the new public open spaces created and their sustainability. The research carries out a post-occupancy evaluation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which is the main output of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Results show good achievements in terms of physical and social integration while the economic impact appears to be the weakest legacy from hosting the Games.

City, Territory and Architecture, Volume 4, Article 5, pages 1-15, Feb 8, 2017

Preventing the complete social restructuring and the relocation of migrant communities from tradi... more Preventing the complete social restructuring and the relocation of migrant communities from traditional cores in Gulf cities to newly urbanized areas is a rising urban and social challenge. The Al Asmakh district in the old centre of Doha is an important example that manifests the current encounter between rising investment pressures and preserving the local identity including the particular urban life and spatial settings that have evolved over several decades. This paper presents key research findings with respect to the lived urban spaces of the Al Asmakh in order to exemplify the potential loss of very distinctive neighbourhoods and to introduce particular characteristics of urban spaces and the way migrant communities appropriate them. As part of a learning experiment undertaken at Qatar University in 2014, structured field surveys, systematic observations as well as behavioural mapping techniques were adopted as important approaches to investigation. The outcomes reveal stimulating dynamics between migrant communities and their environments. It also postulates that city residents have the capacity to recover swiftly from difficulties and resilience in spite of an impeding and hampering context. The paper concludes with projections of how contemporary transformation processes in Gulf cities will have to be based on diversity and social inclusion. Such a transformation should stem from the recognition that migrant communities need to have access to develop their own settings that relate to their routine spatial practices while securing the economic basis of many migrant labourers.
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See full paper here:
https://cityterritoryarchitecture.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40410-017-0061-5

Since the 1990s, Doha, the capital city of Qatar, has experienced rapid urban growth along with r... more Since the 1990s, Doha, the capital city of Qatar, has experienced rapid urban growth along with rapid motorization, which together have created new opportunities but also important challenges for the Qatari government. Urban sprawl, lack of planning strategy, harsh weather, and an absence of public transport are some of the reasons that private vehicles dominate the city. This article discusses three of the main impacts of rapid growth and motorization—environmental problems, physical fragmentation of the city, and social impact—and analyzes the Qatari government's current efforts to resolve these problems. The article concludes that local policies should focus on two main areas of intervention: first, integrating land-use and transport planning; and, second, supporting a multi-modal approach to transportation (integrating different modes) that facilitates the shift from one option to another. Findings can be applied by extension to other major Gulf cities.

Hosting mega-events can not only catalyse urban development, but also lead to an improvement of l... more Hosting mega-events can not only catalyse urban development, but also lead to an improvement of local planning systems and building planning capacity. Events can create knowledge transfer from one city to another, and be used as tools for experimenting new prototypes and urban templates but on a smaller scale. Within this context, this research aims at identifying strategies for leveraging mega-events to improve local planning capacity. Relevant best practices in the use of events as planning enhancers are derived from the literature, and then applied to a case study, the city of Doha. In fact, the capital of Qatar has all the characteristics for benefiting from events. Firstly, it is a city that has already and will host in the imminent future many international events. Secondly, Doha is managing with difficulties its rapid urban development, and needs to improve its planning system. Results show there is a potential for benefiting from events in two ways: they can assist knowledge transfer from international consultancy to local agencies, and vice versa. In addition, events can act as the glue for overcoming the fragmentation of Doha's planning system, by facilitating the implementation of 2030 Qatar National Vision, the country's comprehensive blueprint.

The study investigates the legacies of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and, in particular, it focuses o... more The study investigates the legacies of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and, in particular, it focuses on the evaluation of the new public open spaces created after their stage and their sustainability outcomes. Indeed, Sochi was the second city, after London 2012, with a chapter dedicated to legacy in its candidature file. The study develops a post-occupancy evaluation of the Adler Olympic Park, the coastal cluster, and one of the main legacies of the Games. Findings highlight that the Games failed in the achievement of almost all the legacy promises made in the bid book.

Salama, A. M. and Azzali, S. (2015) Examining Attributes of Urban Open Spaces in Doha. Proceeding... more Salama, A. M. and Azzali, S. (2015) Examining Attributes of Urban Open Spaces in Doha. Proceedings of the ICE - Urban Design and Planning, 168(2), pp. 1-13. ISSN # 1755-0793 http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/udap.14.00011

With intensive emerging and transforming urban spaces and centres, the city of Doha is experiencing continual rapid growth. However, minor attention has been paid to important growth aspects. This paper examines functional, social and perceptual attributes of three urban open spaces in the city by developing and implementing a walking tour assessment procedure composed of checklists and a scoring system. Results reveal important outcomes including the absence of landscape features and a dearth of green spaces or appropriate outdoor furniture, the absence of adequate shaded areas and shading devices and parasols and a lack of children's facilities or a specially designated area for children among other missing elements. These represent shortcomings that impede the maximum efficient and effective utilisation of such spaces. The paper suggests that opportunities to concretise and fulfil people's needs in open spaces should be underscored by urban planners, architects and policy-makers in a multicultural rapidly growing city.

The cities of today are anything but virtuous, and the majority of the population currently livin... more The cities of today are anything but virtuous, and the majority of the population currently living in urban areas consume the majority of our planet's energy, producing the great part of greenhouse gases. These figures are sufficient to make us aware of how the quality of life of billions of people will depend upon the extent to which urban agglomerations will be capable of becoming virtuous. Transforming the cities of today into sustainable cities, therefore, has become an inevitable course of action. In this context, planning mega events can be the occasion for the transformation of large urban areas that, in the ordinary practice, they would hardly find occasion and means for their implementation. Mega events, from the Olympics to soccer World Cup, are often regarded as a key driver for the overall redevelopment of a city. Mega-events have driven the urban transformation of cities such as Barcelona, London, Rio, Beijing, and Shanghai, but while the prospect of economic growth is the driving force for hosting a major event, the legacies that follow their hosting, especially in terms of sustainability, are difficult to design and quantify. Focusing specifically on mega sports events, the paper intends to identify how they can be used as catalysts for promoting sustainability awareness, and sustainable urban regeneration and growth. This paper discusses the urban legacies from two main case studies (i.e.: 2006 South Africa World Cup and 2012 London Olympic Games), and analyses major processes involved in the design and development of a sports event. The conclusions question how an emerging global city as Doha, which will be the first Middle Eastern and Gulf city to host a soccer World Cup, will benefit by hosting this event, and indicate potential directions for further research, framed particularly around Gulf countries.

Designing and implementing sustainable solutions means to take responsibility for the welfare of ... more Designing and implementing sustainable solutions means to take responsibility for the welfare of future generations as well as for our environment and the planet. Positive approach towards sustainability should be an essential part of the ethical base of our lifestyle and actions. Moreover, sustainable development is a vital aspect of the educational agenda at all levels. Universities and higher education institutions have a great responsibility in promoting sustainable development, not only through the educational programs they offer but also through the involvement of students and staff in the sustainability issues, by encouraging interaction with them. Universities should implement sustainable solutions and adopt sustainability in their plans, and ultimately they should have an impact on the society and lead the way by offering knowledge, solutions through influential individuals. Indeed, most universities understood the responsibility and the extreme importance of shifting to more sustainable policies and plans, and most of them have started investing in green buildings future that includes, green building, greener practices, and green products along with less environmental impact, and ways of engaging its faculty and students.In the last few years, the need for sustainable solutions for universities has rapidly increased. Many efforts have been dedicated to this issue, and now many universities have realized and implemented different plans that suit their needs and nature. These programs have achieved sustainable transport, energy, procurement, food services and many other issues.In this research, a review of other universities’ sustainability plans is used to derive a strategy aimed to improve sustainability inside Qatar University by introducing new solutions, evaluating current implemented methods, and assessing or promoting the use of services already in place. The sustainability plan is designed to deliver a strategic blueprint to meet the future development at Qatar University campus via converting its operations, education and research activities towards more sustainable practices. The proposed plan is designed based on the collaboration of three university bodies (students, academics, and administrative staff), and it is outlined in three main branches: operational; planning and administration; education and research. The plan identifies and maps the required action to build the initiative to achieve sustainable goals at QU, and proposes new ways to face the challenge of sustainability in academic campuses. The plan also helps in offering a benchmark model for peer higher education organizations inside Qatar, and for other institutions outside Qatar with similar conditions.

International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (ijet), 2010

Abstract The use of didactic games in order to promote scientific culture leads to innovative met... more Abstract The use of didactic games in order to promote scientific culture leads to innovative methodologies and technologies that can be very effective for the learning process of students or simply to make them more curious about “critical disciplines” such as ...

SELECTED CONFERENCE CONTRIBUTIONS by Simona Azzali

International Forum on Urbanism (IFoU), 2017

With the aim of diversifying its economy and developing itself as a tourist destination, in recen... more With the aim of diversifying its economy and developing itself as a tourist destination, in recent years, Qatar has hosted many international sports events and will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha, its capital city, is literally under construction, and is facing important changes in terms of transportation, infrastructure, and sports facilities. However, past experiences show that outcomes from staging major events are mostly harmful, and their legacies planned to last only for a short time. This trend is even stronger when considering how sports facilities and their surroundings are utilized after the event is over. Usually, sports venues are under-used and very costly to maintain, while their neighbourhoods are underutilized and abandoned pieces of cities. What will be left after the 2022 World Cup? How to leverage this event as a momentum of experimentation and sustainable growth of its capital city, Doha? Within this context, the aim of this research is to identify strategies to plan and maximize the post-event use of event sites and venues, and make their neighbourhoods more liveable and sustainable. The research has a specific focus on the city of Doha, which hosted the 2006 Asian Games and will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The study investigates firstly its public spaces, and then analyses the government’s legacy plans for the 2022 World Cup. The research aims at deriving some of the most recurrent mistakes and malpractices by hosting cities, by defining a ‘lowest common denominator’ of key factors to consider when planning mega sports events and their legacies.

Proceedings of Planning Research Conference PRC 2017: Transcending Boundaries: Global Flows and Spatial Justice, Sep 11, 2017

Restructuring historic centres in Gulf cities has been a trend in recent years. Yet, a large shar... more Restructuring historic centres in Gulf cities has been a trend in recent years. Yet, a large share of these centres is still populated by lower income migrant communities, particularly male labourers from South Asia. Qatar’s capital Doha and Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates are important examples, where the local identity of their city centres including the particular urban life and spatial settings have been highly affected by the everyday practices of migrant groups over several decades. The continuous exchange of migrants led to a continuous import of new ways how public spaces are perceived and used. Multicultural realities are therefore increasingly prevailing and have led to local decision makers experiencing a conflicted local identity. Due to the fact that national citizens have moved to suburbs and have usually been avoiding these central public spaces, urban life is to a large extent defined by migrants. This contribution presents findings on lived public spaces of central city districts and on the characteristics of urban spaces and the way in which migrant communities appropriate them. The methodological approach of this study includes structured ﬁeld surveys, systematic observations as well as behavioural mapping techniques.

Due to current tendencies to replace deteriorating areas within central districts, many Gulf cities are facing the potential loss of very distinctive neighbourhoods, which have however not been recognised as important factors for a local urban identity. Instead, migrant networks and practices are often seen as less important in developing place-making strategies due to their limited economic impact. Thus, historic parts of Gulf cities are mainly explored for their potential role as touristic and commercial centres instead of integrating various measures to connect public spaces and to enable an overall local economic development. Subsequently, major developments have been launched to entirely replace old building stock and to reconfigure urban fabrics. The Souq Waqif or the Msheireb projects in Doha are only two examples of a tendency to commercialise spaces rather than to preserve spatial and economic ties between existing communities. This paper focuses on two specific districts, known as Al Asmakh in Doha and Al Muraba’a in Al Ain, in order to illustrate both the general characteristics of dynamics between traditional public spaces and low income migrant communities, which have to be acknowledged for any attempt to integrate spatial and social diversity.

The outcomes reveal stimulating dynamics between migrant communities and their environments. It also postulates that city residents have the capacity to recover swiftly from difficulties and resilience in spite of an impeding spatial context. The paper concludes with projections of how contemporary transformation processes in Gulf cities will benefit from social inclusion. Such a transformation should stem from the recognition that migrant communities need to have access to develop their own settings that relate to their routine spatial practices while securing the economic basis of those communities.

The Journal of Public Space, 2019

MEI – Middle East Insights Series, 2018

City, Territory and Architecture, Volume 4, Article 5, pages 1-15, Feb 8, 2017

International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (ijet), 2010

International Forum on Urbanism (IFoU), 2017

Proceedings of Planning Research Conference PRC 2017: Transcending Boundaries: Global Flows and Spatial Justice, Sep 11, 2017

With the aim of diversifying its economy and develop itself as a tourist destination, in recent y... more With the aim of diversifying its economy and develop itself as a tourist destination, in recent years, Qatar has hosted many international sports events and will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha, Qatar's capital city, is literally under construction, and is facing important changes in terms of transportation, infrastructure, and sports facilities. However, past experiences have shown that the outcomes of staging major sports events are mostly harmful, and their planned legacies last only for a short time. This trend becomes even stronger when considering how sports facilities and their surroundings are utilized after the event is over. Usually, sports venues become white elephants, and their neighborhoods islands of placelessness, underutilized and abandoned pieces of the city. What will be left after the World Cup? How to leverage this event as a moment of experimentation and sustainable growth of its capital city, Doha? In this context, the aim of this research is to identify strategies to plan and maximize the post-event usage of event sites and venues, and make their neighborhoods more livable and sustainable. The research has a specific focus on the city of Doha, which hosted the 2006 Asian Games and will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It starts with a critical review of relevant precedents from the Western and the Eastern world, and then continues with an in-depth analysis of three selected case studies, namely the cities of London, Sochi, and Rio de Janeiro that recently hosted major sports events. Finally, the research focuses on the context of Doha, investigating its public spaces and planning system, and analyzing the government's legacy plans for the 2022 World Cup. The expected results include a set of guidelines and recommendations to help Doha transform its sports venues and event sites into lasting, sustainable, and livable public open spaces, and, more generally, to define strategies for achieving successful legacies from the host of mega sports events. The results of this research can also be applied to other Gulf cities that share many similarities in terms of their urban form and planning systems, and that face for the first time the challenges and opportunities offered by the host of mega events. Cite this article as: Azzali S. Qatar 2022 World Cup and its legacies: How to promote sustainable and livable open spaces in the city of Doha through mega sports events

Mega-events, from the Olympics to the World Cups, are often regarded as catalysts for the overall... more Mega-events, from the Olympics to the World Cups, are often regarded as catalysts for the overall redevelopment of a city. Mega-events have driven the urban transformation of cities like Barcelona or Beijing, but while the prospect of economic growth is the leading force for hosting them, the legacies that follow their staging, especially regarding sustainable development, are difficult to design and quantify. The research draws an investigation into the impact of mega sports events on the built environment, focusing on the analysis of the 2012 London Olympic Games. The aim of this study is to assess of the real legacies of the 2012 Olympics in London in terms of sustainable urbanism, with particular regard to the public open spaces created (Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Olympic Village). The case of London was selected, among other Olympic cities, because the British capital was the first Olympic city with a comprehensive legacy plan and a sustainability strategy already in execution before the hosting of the Games. Moreover, the case of London offers a wide variety of legacies that can be analysed. Future research will focus on the development of a comprehensive framework for appraising legacies of mega sports events, focusing on their long-term self-sustained impacts, which means an analysis of the economic, social, environmental, but cultural and governance-related legacies.

With the aim of diversifying its economy and developing itself as a tourist destination, in recen... more With the aim of diversifying its economy and developing itself as a tourist destination, in recent years, Qatar has hosted many international sports events and will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha, its capital city, is literally under construction and is facing important changes in terms of transportation, infrastructure, and sports facilities. However, past experiences show that outcomes from staging major events are mostly harmful, and their legacies planned to last only for a short time. This trend is even stronger when considering how sports facilities and their surroundings are utilized after the event is over. Usually, sports venues are under-used and very costly to maintain, while their neighborhoods are underutilized and abandoned pieces of cities. What will be left after the 2022 World Cup? How to leverage this event as a momentum of experimentation and sustainable growth of its capital city, Doha? Within this context, the aim of this research is to identify strategies to plan and maximize the post-event use of event sites and venues and make their neighborhoods more livable and sustainable. The research has a specific focus on the city of Doha, which hosted the 2006 Asian Games and will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It starts with a critical review of relevant precedents from the Western and Eastern world and then continues with an in-depth analysis of three selected case studies: the cities of London, Sochi, and Rio de Janeiro that recently hosted major sports events. Finally, the study focuses on the context of Doha, investigating firstly its public spaces, and transport and planning systems, and then analyzing the government’s legacy plans for the 2022 World Cup.
Results include firstly a framework for the comprehensive appraisal of site events and venues, by evaluating their sustainable legacies and assessing their impacts; secondly, the research defines a set of recommendations for organizing committees and host cities to help them transform sports venues and events sites into lasting, sustainable and livable open public spaces, and, more generally, to define strategies for achieving successful legacies from the host of mega sports events.