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| The entrance esplanade of the museum |
The National Museum of Qatar
An emblematic desert rose of modern culture
The Emirate of Qatar belongs to the Arabic Peninsula, a vast desert. As it is surrounded on three faces by the Persian Gulf, it holds a strategic position in the Persian Gulf. This second dimension generated three different maritime activities: fishing, a pearl hotspot, and a major navigation hub. Then the discovery of gas boosted a mostly traditional small country into the modern world. It became so rich that it abruptly transformed its society in just a matter of a few years.
This threefold background was a source of inspiration for Jean Nouvel when he was commissioned to
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| Inner yard entrance |
design a national museum for the state of Qatar.
He chose to design it like a giant desert rose. A bold conception that involves tremendous technical and engineering achievements. But it is also a thriving emblematic artistic concept. Because the rose desert, a gypsum concretion, is a slow product of Nature. It is born in the desert sand, mixed with the water from the sea or the rain, carved by the wind during years. Sand, water and wind are other three-dimensional aspects that fit the original spirit of Qatar.
The concept is not only brilliant, but it also provides an amazing outcome never seen before in construction.
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| A side view of the architecture |
But enough with the external appearance of the museum. This place has been designed to display the history of Qatar. Needless to say, that is a showcase of culture, it has been remarkably planned. Not only due to its unique indoor architecture, but also to the way all items have been displayed using the latest state-of-the-art techniques. It is meant to provide a complete immersion to visitors, but also relentlessly invites the public to interaction. So much so that the children are invited to self-discovery or games meant to excite their curiosity by increasing a sort of playful knowledge. And of course, they seem to enjoy this a lot!
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| Indoor design |
The threefold purpose of the design seems to continue once you are inside. The 11 galleries to explore are divided into three exploratory fields: the early age of the land and of its specific living environment, the cultural life of Qatar, and finally the modern history of the country.
As the museum opened recently (March 2019), it seems that it still lacks a finishing touch here and there. The museum has its own shop, but the bookshop could certainly display a wider range of art books. There is also a coffee shop located on the other side of the vast internal yard, which at the time being looks quite empty when it could host trees, more pools, and more shaded sitting areas to rest or simply admire the outstanding architecture.
Christian Sorand
Another link:
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| Inner yard: bold architecture lines |
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Oryx in the desert
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| Traditional rug design |
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| A gallery displaying the national heritage |
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| All about the marine tradition of Qatar |
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| The museum pool on the Corniche side |
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| A view of the inner yard |
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| Garden side |
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| Close-up on the museum architecture |
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