Qatar taps Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Egypt coastal project

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which designed Dubai’s Burj Khalifa skyscraper, will lead the masterplan of Qatari Diar’s $30 billion Alam Al Roum smart-city project on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.

The massive development will include more than 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) of private beachfront and be supported by a consortium of global design and engineering firms, Arabian Gulf Business Insight reports.

Qatari Diar, owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, has committed $3.5 billion to the project.

The move comes as Gulf-backed coastal developments accelerate in Egypt, with Abu Dhabi’s Modon leading the Ras El Hekma master development.