This year MIPIM prize in the category: The Best Future Project, went to the National Museum of Qatar.

About MIPIM Awards

On MIPIM Awards 2018 Ceremony (Thursday 15 March 2018) The Best Future Project prize was given to the National Museum of Qatar, designed by renowned architect Jean Novel.

MIPIM Awards are granted each year to the most prominent Projects around the world in the real estate industry, in the nineteen categories.

Any type of building and development that fulfil the Competition rules, which is already in progress or slated to begin construction soon, can be considered in the category The Best Future Project. It is necessary that the Project gives us a preview of what the future may hold through distinct architectural, technical and environmental qualities.

The National Museum of Qatar

The National Museum of Qatar is in Doha, Qatar. The Project features an innovative design by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel. The developer of the Project is Qatar Museums and Project Management Consultant is ASTAD.

Location

The museum is built around Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani’s original palace– his family home, which had served as a museum of heritage since1975. The palace has been recently fully restored and its different parts will have a crucial role once the new museum will be opened.

This combination symbolizes a connection between past and future: new architecture is deeply embedded in the dynasty’s traditions. The museum will combine historic objects and contemporary development. It will give respect to Qatar’s heritage whilst celebrating its future.

The site is located at the south end of Doha’s Corniche the busiest urban gateway where it will be the first monument seen by travelers arriving from the airport.

Inspiration

Jean Nouvel explained: ’Everything in this museum works to make the visitor feel the desert and the sea. The museum’s architecture and structure symbolize the mysteries of the desert’s concretions and crystallizations, suggesting the interlocking pattern of the bladelike petals of the desert rose.

Jean Novel’s rose will be ‘built with the most contemporary construction tools (steel, glass and fibre concrete), and will communicate through high-definition cinema, incorporating visitors’ movements into its museography: this museum is a modern-day caravanserai’.

Inspired by the desert rose, Jean Nouvel’ National Museum of Qatar consists of interlocking discs that are almost the same beige colour as the surrounding desert.

Functional Organization

The National Museum of Qatar building will provide public space like: Permanent exhibition galleries, temporary exhibition gallery, auditorium (220-seats), forum (70-seats), two cafés, restaurant, boutique, In addition, the museum will house staff facilities including a heritage research center, conservation laboratories, staff offices and collection processing and storage areas, TV studio. Separate facilities are provided for school groups and special guests.

The museum will be surrounded by the 11-hectare landscaped park with an artificial lagoon and parking spaces for 400 vehicles. The park was inspired by the Qatari desert landscape.

There are many articles and resources of information about The National Museum of Qatar on the Internet. I would recommend: The National Museum of Qatar – An identity takes form by Jean Nouvel, and National Museum of Qatar by Jean Nouvel on Dezeen site.

Realization of the Project

Speaking about The National Museum of Qatar and Jean Nouvel’ fabulous architectural design it is worth mentioning other participants in the Project and their contribution. The most important are:

• Multidisciplinary Design team. The team consist of specialist from different disciplines: Architects in different roles, Interior Designers, Landscape designers than engineers, special consultants. You can see the whole Design team involved in this Project here.

  It must have been a challenge for all members of the team to develop such Project with highly complex geometry with disc interaction of the building. It was equally complex for structural engineers to solve structural issues, to calculate varying dimensions and curvatures of the interlocking disks which form walls, ceilings, floors and terraces, for engineers to develop mechanical design solution or entire walls as cinematic displays .So many professional challenges on this Project.

• Project Manager (ASTAD):  I am well familiar how complex Project manager role is . I suppose that one of the important issues in performing scope on this Project is coordination in every phase: Pre-construction and Construction. The results could be achieved only with the high level of the cross-discipline coordination of virtual teams located all over the world.

• General Contractor Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. LTD. 

  It is not an easy task for the General contractor to execute this atypical design which combines 316 disks at various angles. The progress has been made with the use of appropriate technology (3D BIM)and construction method, adequate resources, systems and processes required and much more…

  When we speak about the works,we should certainly mention the importance quality control from steel truss structure for each disk, cladding from concrete panels glass fibre reinforced, Stuc Pierre – plaster for floors and walls to every detail of the building.

Grand Opening

Jean Nouvel, at the beginning of 2018, visited the site of National Museum of Qatar with Qatar Museums Chief Executive Officer and Special Adviser to the Chairperson, Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud and express that Project progress was evident.

The National Museum of Qatar expected to open in December 2018. When the museum opens, it will offer visitors an opportunity to explore and learn about the life of the Qatari people from its traditional and historical past to the country’s development into a modern state. Visitors will be welcomed with Jean Nouvel masterpiece of modern architecture.

Till now The National Library of Qatar won ‘Best Façade Design and Engineering of the Year’, at the ABB LEAF Awards (London on 21 September 2017) and MIPIM 2018 Award: The Best Future Project(Cannes, March 2018). We hope that other professional awards for this property yet to come

It will be interesting to visit The National Museum of Qatar when opened.

All Images curtesy Ateliers Jean Nouvel & Artefactory