A Design Lover’s Guide to Qatar

Dubai is all about the superlatives and Abu Dhabi has the Louvre, but Qatar is a bit of a dark horse when it comes to stunning architecture and design in the Middle East. The young country is rapidly growing, largely due to it being the location for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. But it was just a little less than 40 years ago that the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort’s pyramid-like structure was just one of few buildings in the capital city. Now, Doha is lined with futuristic skyscrapers and incredible structures designed by world-renowned architects like I.M. Pei, Jean Nouvel, and Zaha Hadid. From futuristic libraries to magnificent museums, here are the stunners of Qatar.

Inspired by desert rose crystal formations, the commanding National Museum of Qatar designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel features interlocking disks and spans across more than a whopping 430,500 square feet. It’s slated to open next year and aims to celebrate the country’s heritage and future.

While the Qatar National Library’s angular exterior is captivating as is, the wow factor really settles in when you step inside. Home to more than one million books, the OMA-designed facility utilizes innovative technology like automated book sorting and a “people mover” system that makes the collection accessible to everyone. In the center six meters below ground level is a heritage library, constructed to look like an excavation site, that holds documents which date as far back as the 7th century A.D.

Perched on the Arabian Gulf’s coastline, the Museum of Islamic Art, conceived by I.M. Pei, fuses inspiration from ancient Islamic traditions (domes, geometric patterns, arches, water features) with modern architecture. The top block evokes the eyes of a niqab-wearing woman, a seeming nod to the country’s religion.

Located along Four Seasons Hotel Doha’s private marina is the largest Nobu in the world. The trilevel ovoid restaurant, designed by Rockwell Group, serves up the chef’s famous contemporary Japanese cuisine and delivers dazzling views of the capital’s skyline.

In 2010, construction began on Msheireb, a downtown regeneration project based on the highest standards in sustainable technology. Once complete, it will have the greatest concentration of gold and platinum LEED–certified buildings in the world. Slated to open next year in the central square is the Mandarin Oriental Doha, which will instate green practices like decomposing food waste into environmentally safe liquids via ORCA and working with a local farm in the city to manage 15 beehives to produce honey.

Built on the outskirts of Doha is an enclave known as Education City. Home to branch campuses of some of the world’s most prestigious universities like Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, and Georgetown, the hub also holds recreation facilities, public spaces, and sports arenas. (This is also where Damien Hirst’s controversial installation of 14 bronze uterus sculptures can be found.) One marvelous construction is the Ceremonial Court, an open-air facility used for special events, where latticed patterns ubiquitously found throughout the country are at their most stunning in the pergolas that flank the plaza.

Another standout is the combination of the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies and Education City Mosque, which won the Religion category at the World Architecture Festival in 2015. The mosque rests on five large columns, representing the five pillars of Islam, while the two ribbons reaching upward point toward Mecca.

For the forthcoming World Cup in 2022, Zaha Hadid was tapped to design the Al Wakrah Stadium, one of many that will play host to the tournament. The 40,000-seat arena pulls inspiration from the region’s dhow boats and will have facilities that can be used by the local community after the competition.

Equine lovers will be instantly delighted when they arrive at Al Shaqab. Spanning more than 240 acres, the state-of-the-art facility by Leigh & Orange breeds and trains Arabian horses and holds public tours several times per week.

For those seeking a day trip out of Doha, head west into the desert where you’ll find four 55-foot steel monoliths installed by artist Richard Serra. The desolate terrain only magnifies the imposing nature of these sculptures.

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