Croatian Architect Behind Qatar’s Plush New Handball Home

Qatar have a spectacular new handball arena and home thanks to Croatian architect Otto Barić and his team…

Earlier this month the Barić designed arena, which was built for the Handball World Championships there in 2015 and will be the Qatar Handball Federation headquarters, opened in Doha. It is not just any old handball arena, in true Arabian fashion befitting the world’s wealthiest nation per capita, the arena also includes a hotel, restaurant, gymnasium, swimming pool, medical centre, offices and a plush media centre.

Barić, who is the son of former Croatia national football coach of the same name, told Index.hr that the arena was built in record time.

“Construction started on 1 July 2013, and was complete on 1 August 2014. The arena officially opened on 7 September to host the Super Globe handball World Club Championships from 7-12 September,” Barić said, adding that the project was an extremely important one that he is proud of.

“The arena itself is very specific because it is actually a hybrid facility with a wide range of functions. The Qatar Handball Association (QHA) has a main hall for 5,500 spectators, two VIP stands, a VIP area reserved for the highest officials, four training rooms, a 25-meter pool, eight locker rooms, a gym, medical center, press center, four TV studios, offices for QHA (150 employees), a 60-room hotel for players, restaurant, and a kitchen big enough to prepare 1,000 meals,” Barić concluded.