Qatar underwater museum largest in world

(ANSA) - Rome, February 10 - The Qatar Underwater Archaeological Museum (QUAM), the largest of its kind worldwide stretching over 3.5 million square meters, will be made in Italy.
    The "sustainable and multimedia" museum was presented Wednesday in Rome by the Schiattarella Associati study, which is in charge together with PRAS Tecnica Edilizia of the urban design and architectural project.
    The official presentation in Doha, to be attended by the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as well as Qatari and Italian authorities, "is scheduled by April 15".
    The project was first introduced by the emir together with Foreign Undersecretary Benedetto Della Vedova during a recent official visit.
    On Wednesday, Della Vedova said the government supported "foreign investors in Italy and Italian companies participating in the economic development of other countries" and that the investment will cost seven billion dollars.
    The project will be developed over one year and a half and it will be built in another four, with the support of aerospace and defense giant Finmeccanica and shipbuilding enterprise Fincantieri.
    The museum will be built with different sections focusing, among other things, on marine biology and literature, according to an idea developed by Francesco Scavelli, founder of Bluimage Productions.
    It will include a large artificial basin inside which submarines, military vessels and sailing ships will be built, as well as a stadium for water sports, a hotel with a golf course and a 'Lighthouse Tower'.
    QUAM will also vie to become a research center with a university campus on underwater archaeology and marine biology and the largest library of the sea. The project management is by Universe Asset Consultancy and Arcadis Italia.