Oxygen Park, Education City

Overview

Oxygen Park is a 13-hectare landscaped park in the middle of Education City, the Qatar Foundation campus in Al Rayyan on the western side of Doha. It sits between the university buildings, the Hamad Bin Khalifa University Student Center and Education City Stadium, and it was designed as a place for students, staff and the public to walk, run and simply get some air. Qatar Foundation calls it a “green lung” for the campus, and after a few minutes on its shaded paths the name makes sense.

What sets it apart from most parks in Doha is the landform. Instead of a flat lawn with a fence round it, the ground rises and dips in soft ridges, with paths cut into the slopes, sunken areas, tunnel-like shaded sections and planted mounds that look a little like wind-shaped desert rock. It feels more like a piece of landscape architecture than a municipal park, and it photographs well at dusk when the large balloon-shaped lamps come on.

It suits runners and walkers who want a pleasant loop away from traffic, families with small children, students looking for a quiet bench, and anyone interested in contemporary design. It is free, open from early morning until late evening, and easy to combine with Qatar National Library or the Education City Mosque, both a short drive or tram ride away. This guide focuses on how to get the best out of a visit: where to walk, when to go, and the practical gaps (toilets, food, parking) that first-timers tend not to expect.

The story behind the park

Education City was founded by Qatar Foundation in the late 1990s and grew into a campus of branch universities, research centres and cultural buildings spread over several square kilometres of former desert. As the campus filled up, Qatar Foundation wanted a landscape that tied the buildings together and gave the growing community somewhere to exercise outdoors for more of the year.

The park was designed by the international firm AECOM, with Erik Behrens leading the architecture and James Haig-Streeter the landscape. Their starting point was the Qatari landscape itself. In interviews with the design press, Behrens described borrowing from wind-eroded rock and the shapes of dunes, so that surfaces flow from ground into wall, roof and ceiling. Paths run through cuts in the terrain, and parts of the sports area are set below ground level to keep them cooler.

Keeping people comfortable was a central aim. The designers shaped the ground to channel breezes across the site, planted a mix of native and desert-adapted species, and added water features and covered walkways. The result is not air-conditioned outdoor space in the way the stadiums are, but on a mild evening the difference between the park and the open car parks around it is noticeable.

The design was a finalist at the World Architecture Festival in 2017, and the completed park went on to win an IAKS silver award in 2019 and further design awards after that. It was built in the years when Education City Stadium, next door, was being prepared for the FIFA World Cup 2022, and the two now sit side by side at the southern end of the campus.

What to see and do

1. Run or walk the loop

   The main draw for regulars is the running track, a looping path that winds through the western, sports side of the park. It is not a flat oval: it dips into shaded, partly enclosed sections, rises over gentle slopes and passes under the balloon lamps, which makes laps less monotonous than on a standard track. Published figures for its length vary (you will see anything from about 1 km to 1.6 km quoted), so if you are training to a distance, use a GPS watch rather than counting laps.

   Walkers use the same network of paths, and in the cooler months the park is busy with people doing slow evening circuits. The surfaces are smooth and well lit, which makes it one of the more comfortable places in west Doha for an after-work walk.

2. Explore the landforms and shaded passages

   Take time to wander away from the track. The park is built as a series of ridges and hollows, with paths slicing through cuts in the ground and shaded canopies that curve overhead. Some sections feel almost like walking through a sculpture. Look at how the walls and roofs are shaped, where the breezes come through, and how the planting changes between the sunnier slopes and the sheltered corners.

3. Let children play in the eastern side

   The eastern half of the park is the recreational side, with a children’s play area set among grassy mounds, gardens, lawns and an amphitheatre. Families have described the playground as simple rather than elaborate, but children enjoy running up and down the slopes as much as using the equipment. Stepped water features nearby add some splashing and noise. There is no perimeter fence, so keep an eye on small children near the campus roads.

4. See the water features

   Waterfalls and water steps are among the most photographed parts of the park. The sound of moving water does a lot to soften the setting, and the stonework and planting around them are some of the best-kept corners of the site. Early morning, before the crowds, is the best time to photograph them without people in the frame.

5. Use the sports pitches

   The sports side includes multi-purpose pitches, with circular courts used for volleyball and other games, and partly sunken areas designed to stay a little cooler. The design also includes an equestrian track along the park’s edge. Qatar Foundation has run community fitness sessions such as yoga and group workouts here, usually promoted through the Education City app, so check it if you want to join a class.

6. Come back after dark

   Oxygen Park is at its most atmospheric in the evening. The oversized balloon-shaped lamps light the paths with a soft glow, the heat eases, and the park fills with runners, families and students. It is one of the few parks in Doha that is genuinely designed to be used at night, and it is worth seeing at least once after sunset.

How to get there

By car: Education City is on the western side of Doha in Al Rayyan, reached from Al Luqta Street or from the Dukhan Highway (Al Rayyan Road) side. From West Bay, allow roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic; from Souq Waqif, a little less. Normal saloon cars are fine, and no 4×4 is needed.

Parking: Parking is the part that confuses first-time visitors. Guides and visitors mention an open parking area near the southern side of the park, plus underground and multi-storey car parks elsewhere on the campus, including lot P3. Campus parking rules can change during term time and events, so follow signs and avoid bays marked for staff or specific buildings.

By metro and tram: The Doha Metro Green Line has an Education City station on Al Luqta Street, with the next stop towards central Doha at Qatar National Library. From the station you can connect to the free Education City Tram, which loops around the campus, or take a taxi or ride-hailing car for the last short stretch. Walking from the metro is possible in winter but less pleasant in the heat.

By taxi: Uber, Careem and Karwa taxis can drop you at the HBKU Student Center, which is right beside the park and the easiest landmark to give a driver.

Best time to visit

The most pleasant months are November to March, when evening temperatures in Doha are mild and the park is at its liveliest. October and April can still be comfortable after dark. From May to September, daytime heat makes a visit uncomfortable, but early mornings and late evenings are still used by determined runners.

Time of day matters more than season here. Early morning is quiet and good for photography and serious running. Late afternoon into the evening is the social time, when the lamps come on and families arrive. Weekends (Friday and Saturday) are busier, especially in winter.

Opening hours are generally from about 6am until late evening. Visit Qatar and other listings give slightly different closing times on different days, ranging from around 9pm to 11pm or later, so check the current listing if you plan to arrive late.

Tips for your visit

• Plan for no toilets in the park. Several guides note there are no restrooms inside the park itself. The HBKU Student Center next door has toilets and a food court.
• Eat before or after, not in the park. There are no kiosks inside. The Student Center food court is the nearest option, and Qatar National Library has a café.
• Bring your own water. Even on winter evenings, a few laps of the track leave you thirsty, and there are no shops on the paths.
• Measure distance with GPS. Because the track length is quoted differently in different sources, a watch or phone app is more reliable than counting laps.
• Keep small children close. The park is open-sided, with campus roads and car parks nearby.
• Dress for a university campus. Education City is a place of study and has a conservative dress norm; modest sportswear is fine.
• Check for events and closures. Match days at Education City Stadium and campus events can affect parking and access, and some sessions have historically been reserved for women at set times.
• Take your rubbish with you. Recycling bins are spread around the park, so use them rather than leaving litter on the lawns.

What to bring

• A refillable water bottle
• Running shoes or comfortable trainers
• A light layer for winter evenings
• Sun protection if you come in daylight
• A picnic blanket for the lawns
• A phone or watch with GPS if you are tracking a run

Combine it with nearby places

Qatar National Library. One stop along the metro line and a short drive away, the library building by OMA is worth seeing for its vast open reading hall and its heritage collection. It makes an easy pairing for a morning or late afternoon.

Education City Mosque (Minaretein). The mosque’s two tall, angled minarets are one of Education City’s landmarks. Non-Muslim visitors are generally welcome outside prayer times when dressed modestly, but check before you go.

Qur’anic Botanic Garden. Also within Education City, this Qatar Foundation garden focuses on plants mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah. It adds a quieter, more educational green space to the same trip.

Education City Stadium. Right beside the park, the World Cup 2022 stadium with its diamond-patterned façade is striking at night and easy to photograph from the park’s southern edge.

Maman at Qatar National Convention Centre. Louise Bourgeois’s giant spider sculpture stands inside the convention centre at the northern end of Education City, a quick detour if the building is open.

Frequently asked questions

Last checked October 2026. Hours, fees and access can change, so confirm with the official source before you go.