qatar museums doha art mill competition designboom
renzo piano, emre arolat + elemental among finalists for doha art mill project
image © malcolm reading consultants / qatar museums

 

 

 

renzo piano, aiming to cement the city of doha as an global destination for art, qatar museums launched an international competition for the design of ‘the art mill’ – a million square foot art gallery that would be sited next to the museum of islamic art and jean nouvel’s national museum of qatar that is under-construction.

 

while predominantly comprising gallery and exhibition space, the museum’s brief also includes extensive education, conference and event space, as well as state-of-the-art conservation and storage to match the diversity of the collection. there will also be facilities to support the community and provide amenities for visiting families.

 

 

 

the shortlisted firms in alphabetical order:

 

 

    •        adam khan architects (UK)
    •        atelier bow-wow (japan)
    •        eaa emre arolat architecture (turkey)
    •        elemental (chile)
    •        junya ishigami + associates (japan)
    •        mangado & asociados (spain)
    •        renzo piano building workshop (italy)
    •        rice+lipka architects (USA)

 

 

the proposed site, which extends into the arabian sea on three sides, adjoins the park around the renowned museum of islamic art by i.m.pei, and is close to jean nouvel’s forthcoming national museum of qatar. the site has a distinctive open aspect with three sides adjoining doha bay, and the other linking the city and until recently was occupied by qatar flour mills. the architecture firm with the winning proposal will be announced in autumn 2016 with construction anticipated to begin in 2019.