An artist’s impression of the new complex.

doha • Students, staff and faculty of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMUQ) capped of the spring 2006 semester with a celebration marking the ground-breaking of the university's new building.

More than 100 people attended the ceremonial ground breaking where CMUQ Dean Chuck Thorpe spoke about the future of the university in the Educational City.

"The building will be a visually spectacular addition to Qatar Foundation. But what is much more important, it will be a spectacular space for our educational and research mission. We will of course have classrooms and offices and laboratories; but beyond that we will follow the Carnegie Mellon tradition of having open spaces for people to meet, talk, drink coffee and build the future. We look forward to the welcoming not just Carnegie Mellon, but all of Education City to drop by and collaborate with us," he said.

The new facility, which is being built by Qatar Foundation for Carnegie Mellon, will measure an expansive 42,000 square meters. The state-of-the-art features combined with a robust palate of colours, water features and trees, will create warm and inviting spaces throughout the building that will foster the growth of the whole student.

Designed by renowned architects Legoretta and Legoretta, the building will have at its core an open three-story atrium that will serve as a town square. Filled with natural light, the atrium will be home to food court, assembly area and expansive walkway. Situated on the main east-west passage through Education City, the walkway will be alive with trees and will serve as a meeting place for everyone in Education City.

Actual excavation and construction is expected to begin in July. Construction is slated to complete by January 2008.