Qatar back on the table

The Middle East region has been under constant development over the last decade, evolving into an architectural powerhouse and one of the most must-visit regions in the world for any architectural enthusiast and exploring traveler.
2020 has added – despite the world epidemic crisis – a remarkable amount of new architectural masterpieces all over the region.

The Norman Foster floating hotel in the prestigious Red Sea project is starting the take shape, Jean Nouvel’s breathtaking Shaaran hotel in the AIUIa desert is in its tender phase, Zaha Hadid’s National Bank of Iraq is rising in Bagdad, in Bahrain small architectural interventions in the Al Muharraq city district continue to fascinate, Santiago Calatrava is completing the UAE pavilion on Dubai’s upcoming World EXPO and UN studio’s vault metro stations in Doha have raised the bar for public infrastructure architecture worldwide.

Following the opening of some countries of the region towards the State of Israel at the end of the last year, 2021 started with another major political event in the region with the end of the isolation of Qatar within the GCC Gulf Corporation Council. Qatar is now back on the pollical table and the architectural & art community has started the New Year with an aim to re-develop the cultural embedment of Doha’s vibrant architectural scene in the region’s art fabric.

One architectural masterpiece in Doha symbolizes and justifies the importance of Qatar within that art fabric like no other – the MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART.

Built on an artificial island in front of the shore of Doha’s main bay, this amazing museum showcases the global importance of the regional Islamic Art, both in its building and exhibition architecture designed by the same team who re-created the Louvre in Paris: late Master architect I.M.Pei and Jean-Michel Wilmotte.

It is no surprise, that for many years this building used to be home to the initial phase of the region’s most important art event of the year and will hopefully take back its rightful place for cultural interchange and academic studies.

Doha is reconnecting to the region.

Text: Hannes Werner, GA Qatar