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7/11/25, 1:53 PM Insights: What the Middle East can learn about ‘smart’ spaces from the French City of Pau - Construction Week Online
Insights: What the Middle East can learn

about ‘smart’ spaces from the French

City of Pau

"The city of Pau is a blueprint for how to successfully create and manage a people-
centred, efficiently managed urban centre", says Olly

by Olly Thomas July 04, 2025 10:19 AM GST

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At the Qatar World Cup 2022, one building stood tall as a striking symbol of
sustainability and innovation. Named Stadium 974 (after Qatar’s international
dialling code), the 44,089-capacity building featured a modular steel frame and
shipping containers. It was designed to be taken apart and repurposed for
another World Cup, with Qatar determined not to follow previous hosts in
delivering white elephant venues which would be never or rarely used once the
tournament ended.

Today, three years since the whistle went on the final match, the stadium remains in position.
It is a very public reminder of the need for our built assets – everything from stadiums to cities
– to have detailed consideration given to their entire lifecycle. Only by starting with the end in
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