Herzog & de Meuron’s plans for a new museum in Qatar have been updated with new renderings and a virtual flythrough animation showcasing what in the future will be a world-leading destination for scholars of Orientalist art and culture.
The forthcoming Lusail Museum in Doha is conceived of as a “vertically layered souk, or miniature city contained within a single building.” Its design features an intersection of three spherical forms along whose tangents a crescent-shaped internal street is created as a connector between the central lobby and other public functions of the building, including a library, auditorium, shop, café, and prayer hall.
The building addresses its coastal site with a sand-like exterior finish, appearing as though it were a natural landform. A sculptural polished plaster stair serves as the entrance to the building. Inside, four galleries are designed to replicate domed spaces at the Palace of Topkapi in Istanbul; Iran's Jameh Mosque; the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo; and the Aljafaria Dome in Saragossa, Spain, respectively.
This creates a series of "unexpected spatial experiences" for visitors. The museum's interior is also characterized by "a variety of haptic qualities" including a wood-paneling in the library, a reflective metallic finish for the prayer space, and several carefully placed and upholstered niches finished in wood, textiles, metals, and ceramic tiles.
HdM says their collaboration with local artisans and craftspeople on the project will ensure a “direct connection back to the local vernacular and reinforce the project’s role in preserving historic trades and fostering cultural exchange”
The project is one of three designs from Pritzker-winning architects that will appear in the new development first announced by Qatar Museums in March of 2022. Herzog & de Meuron's design is joined by Alejandro Aravena, whose firm ELEMENTAL will be responsible for the development's Art Mill space, and the new 430,556-square-foot Qatar Auto Museum from OMA. UNStudio is attached to design the Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar nearby as well.
Partner Jacques Herzog recently discussed the project with Qatar Museums Chairperson Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in a podcast episode. The Lusail Museum will commence construction later this year and is expected to open to the public in 2029.
16 Comments
HDM used to be relevant but all they do now is make spiral staircases.....
Their stuff seems to be designed for photography. I find that their projects are surprisingly dull and brutal when seen in person.
in what way? Prada in Tokyo remains a masterpiece and the MIU MIU store across the street from it is a little known jewel of a building. The DeYoung in San Francisco was excellent, and the Tate is very very good (the extension even better). The only building that I have seen of theirs in person that I was a bit wondering about was the CaixaForum in Madrid. It was beautiful but the plan did not quite work for me as I walked through it.
This project looks like it will be better in person than in renders and is nice for having a lot of strong interior spaces in spite of being part of what can only be called a massive sculptural object. That is not an easy thing to pull off. By contrast, the National Museum in Doha by Jean Nouvel was stunning on the exterior but felt clunky inside.
If I were to critique this project it is only that it is isolated, like much of the contemporary architecture in the region (even when its not on an island), and that is a pity. Nothing to do with the architecture though. That is a policy project.
Maybe more so I am bothered with new work going on in UAE/Saudi/Whatever. All of it seems context-less eventhough one could TRY to argue for whatever landscape they sit in. HDM is also guilty of rinse and repeat forms which truly shows how there is zero relation to context. Tate is nice, in a way you appreciate the building OVER the art...I have been and appreciate contemplative areas in the building. I have also been to Prada Tokyo and did not much care for the building. Thing is, HDM does a lot given a lot. In this moment in my career I am interested in who is doing a lot, given a little.
Marlon Blackwell is the answer to your final question.
So, Panda, your objection to this project is cuz its in the UAE/Saudi/Whatever? This is kinda trope-y...
@panda, fair enough if you didnt like the prada building. My office is a few blocks up the road from it and it has lost its mythical sheen for me, but I can't help but admire it still. A lot of people design crap with a big budget. It doesnt seem reasonable to judge them as insufficient for having the resources to do good work and then actually DO the good work. Anything in particular that you dont like? Or just a dislike for star-chitects? That I can understand, though I think there is room enough in the world for both expensive and cheap good architecture. One need not negate the other. FWIW, some of the best architects in Japan right now are working with next to nothing budgets and doing amazing and inventive things. My guess is they will take over as the leaders in the press and in culture in short enough time. A few of them are friends (or former students, which is more scary). None of them are against Sejima or OMA. Kinda like the way Cobain was a fanboy for the Beatles ;-)
This is no need to you, but if you don't live under a rock within the past say 5 years Saudi/UAE has been making a massive push to "wash" many aspects of the world culture, all knowing they will run out of that sweet sweet oil money in due time. Evidence is absolutely everywhere, LIV, Boxing, Entertainment Events, Architecture, cultural institutions. I'm moreso against them culturally as how they treat their citizens and the environment.
Many arch firms I know of will not accept any projects put over there anyways, do that just confirms my beliefs I think in that I'm not alone. Firms like morphosis or whoever it is these days just want to cash a check because middle East is writing them blank ones.
A bit like someone who has to show off wealth by having a garage fill of all lamborghinis. Why does this development need to be a whose who of architects. You already know the answer to that though.
Yeah, so what you are saying it rather trope-y, you just proved it. Which arch firms do you know that will not accept work there? And again, its probably better to buy off world culture, rather than bomb others to make oneself relevant, if you catch my drift, panda.
Oh yes, got to the end of the post only to realize the cynical nature is none other than you SOD. I know plenty of offices that do not do work there, the one I am at included...as well as the last two offices I worked at. If you don't believe me just go here:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/qatar/report-qatar/
"Domestic workers, most of whom are women, continued to face some of the harshest working conditions and abuses, including verbal, physical and sexual assault. The authorities failed to implement measures introduced in 2017 to protect them from labour abuses. Women domestic workers who managed to flee abusive employers lacked access to safe shelter."
But SOD, please try to convince me how you would support working in empires such as this, I am happy to wait. Since you have such a soft spot for Hamas it is no surprise that you would support these governmental behaviors.
I do not support working in such countries, but just wanted to point out that it is funny coming from you, someone who supports a regime that is actively committing a genocide. Sorry, this should be on the other post, but I just wanted to point out that your hatred seems focused on the people, not the actual architecture ... get it?
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You seriously calling SOD a terrorist for disagreeing with your opinion on the architecture of Herzog and DeMeuron? Gehry talked about hiring lawyers to ensure fair working conditions on his projects, perhaps H and DeM do the same. It would seem a likely step for an office in their position.
These kinds of projects require a nuanced examination I think more than rule of thumb pronouncements.
For instance, this is a building in Qatar, recently blockaded by UAE and Saudi Arabia (and Bahrain and Egypt), emphatically putting it out of step with the countries you don't think H + DeM should work in. There are reasons to question human rights issues in Qatar as well, but mistaking Qatar for one of its rivals/enemies is not the place to start.
Eh, Will I never called SOD a terrorist and if I did please paste proof below (details matter)
Panda you did say I had a soft spot for Hamas, which is wrong. I have a soft spot (like most humans should) for the Palestinians. That said, you have made clear the point i was expounding on. If this building was somewhere in the US, or Europe or even in Tel Aviv, your criticism would probably not be the same, as it is based on a broad-brush characterization of Arab nations. And thats the point.
De gustibus non est disputandum
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