A simple architectural statement balanced between contemporary addition and respectful preservation.

Tehran Architects Bonsar have sent us their furniture showroom project in Tehran - an awarded transformation of an old warehouse in Tehran - we share it with you on desMena:

The Project

This project is the result of the rehabilitation of an old cotton warehouse built over 50 years ago, and its transformation into a furniture showroom and warehouse. The reviving essence of the project led the design team to take a restoration approach, in spite of no financial limits and the possibility of demolishing and constructing a new building. In addition to the physical restoration, enlivening the spatial memories was taken into consideration as the most prominent goal in the rehabilitation process. Careful attention was paid that every addition to the building acquire a contemporary tone, and the remainder be restored as elements of the spatial memory. The reminiscence of light penetrating into the dark space of the old hall, turned into the main concept for designing the new pierced façade of the showroom.

The main structural system of the building was load-bearing walls and in the main hall, a combination of load-bearing walls and steel roof-trusses and columns. Strengthening the walls and roof-trusses, replacement of the steel façade, preservation of the brick sections against moisture, and cleaning the bricks were amongst actions taken during renovation of the project. The limited use of building material such as bricks, corrugated metal sheets, concrete and steel were amongst the design group decisions to reach a simple architectural statement and preserve the building memory.

Collaborators

Client: Hesam Ghandchi, Hossein Ghandchi

Project architect: Mohammad Majidi

Assistant architects: Hamed Khosravi, Kaveh Rashidzadeh, Majid Masumi, Mojtaba Samimi

Contractor and supervision: Bonsar Architecture Studio

Site and Construction Supervisor: Rahim Mohammadi

Photographer: Afshin Ghaderpanah

Film: Dayereh Company

Metal sheet works (façade, roof, and gutters) and exposed air canals: Abas Margan

Metal works (Windows, steel sub-structures): Vachik Malek Estepanian

Masonary and renovating: Rahim Mohammadi

Ceiling mounted radiant heaters: Garmataab Company

Drywall: Knauf Iran, Vaheh Majnonian

Exterior and interior stone flooring: Mr. Shahverdi (Mahalat travertine)

Project Data

Project title: Furniture showroom and warehouse

Location: Hengam St., Heydarkhani St.,Tehran, Iran

Type Of Project: Renovation

Land Area: 2760 m²

Gross floor area: 1200 m²

Number of floors: One floor (Ground floor)

Project Commission: Sept. 2004

Design Commencement: Sept. 2004, Completion: Aug. 2005

Construction Commencement: Sept. 2004,

Completion: Nov. 2005

Occupancy: Dec. 2005

Software used

• AutoCad (drawings)

• 3D max (Modeling & rendering)

• Skechup (primary modeling)

• Photoshop (photo superimposing in façade and interior studies)

Bibliography

• “Furniture showroom project in Teheran”, THE PHAIDON ATLAS OF 21st CENTURY WORLD ARCHITECTURE, 2008, p72

• “1st Place, Furniture Showroom & Warehouse, Tehran”, Memar Magazine, No. 34, Dec-Jan 2005-2006, p18

Awards

Memar Award 2005 - 1st Prize (www.mmemar.com)

A Beirut entertainment venue by Lebanese architects Bernard Khoury / DW5

Located on top floor of the newly built extension of a yet to be disclosed hotel in Doha, Q club is a 700m2 entertainment venue made up of largely open space with a capacity for over 600 guests.

The project is a manipulation in plan and section both of which are mirrored on the horizontal and vertical axes resulting in a volume that is continuous throughout. An incremental succession of elevations that expand from the core provide users with an uninterrupted visual connection to the center of attention from any vantage point.

The continuity in form is exaggerated by a monochromatic scheme. All elements begin in off white and evolve uniformly via led points that surround the periphery, creating a condition of immateriality.

The venue’s shell has the ability to expand and contract in proportion to occupancy via two opposing curtain tracks.

3XN design a multipurpose arena that blends functionality, flexibility and sustainability in one iconic structure

The centrifugal power of the whirlwind is interpreted into this dynamic and vibrant Arena design, reflecting the energy and growth of the Middle East region. The metaphoric Arena generates a strong architectural and visionary icon defined by the idea of the whirlwind. The ‘jet streams’ from the whirlwind form integrated shaded corridors, which meet and extend the lines of the area and thereby create a close connecting between the building and its surroundings.

The bright shapes of the modulated ribbons are seemingly spinning about the bowl – a play on the term whirlwind moving across the desert sand. The double façade makes the building seem light, luminous almost translucent, and allows a hint of the activities going on inside the building. Besides being a decorative barrier between interior and exterior the façade design ensures that all interior spaces are shaded at all times, yet allowing plenty of light to enter the building. Maximizing the amount of natural daylight and at the same time keeping out the heat of the sun saves energy significantly and secures high quality indoor climate.

The multi-purpose Arena is designed to accommodate the widest range of events from ice hockey finals to international mega concerts. The flexibility of the design furthermore allows for the conduct of a wide variety of events within a very short period of time.

Characterized by its iconic design, effective layout, the elegant interior and LEED platinum rating, the Arena meets the highest international standards within aesthetics, functionality and sustainability.

Address: Middle East

Client: Confidential

Completion: Competition 2010

Size: 56.000 m2

Architect: 3XN

Layers of vegetation, utilization of thermal mass and natural light enhance the quality of living while lending to the building’s sustainability.

Basel-based Architects Herzog & de Meuron sent us some information on their latest project in the Middle East, the Beirut Terraces - a residential tower in the Lebanese capital. We share it whith you here on desMena:

Beirut Terraces

The city of Beirut finds itself at the heart of the developing Middle East. As a cosmopolitan city throughout its existence, it always figured as a cultural hub of the region and - culturally as well as geographically - functioned as a link between Europe and the Middle East. By consequence Beirut’s urban history could hardly be more diverse; remains of Phoenician, Roman, Arab, Mamluk, Ottoman and colonial rule have shaped the city and its buildings, just as its past and eventful present have left their marks.

The design of Beirut Terraces was quite literally influenced by the layers of the city’s rich and tumultuous history. The most immediate historical event, which those from Beirut will remember for generations to come, is that of the assassination of the Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, which occurred when his car detonated in front of the St.Georges Hotel, its ruins are still visible as a daily reminder. Adjacent to the site there is a vast landfill of war-debris and trash from the several bombings since the 1970’s, but in the future this will change. Despite the scarred history, there is a clear vision to rehabilitate the area, the current masterplan already well under way aims to rebuild and bring life back to this part of Beirut. The site is located in a portion of the masterplan dedicated to building office and residential high rise buildings and is closely related to a new yachting marina.

Architecture
The proposed building concept, structure, and appearance are conceived by both awareness and respect for the city, as well as self-confident optimism that it shares with contemporary Beirut. The project is founded on five principles: layers and terraces, inside and outside, vegetation, views and privacy, light and identity. The result is a vertically layered building expressed by diverse sizes of slabs which create both openness and privacy and enable flexible living between in- and outside. Fine detailing and a focus on the concerted orchestration of decent materials make for an efficient and luxurious building. Conscious of energy use, the environmental engineering coupled with the integration of vegetation into the architecture, enhance the quality of living while also lending to the building’s sustainability.

Layers and Terraces
The building is a 116 meter tall multilayered high rise. Its stratified structure is differentiated by the individual residences set back or forward to allow for terraces and overhangs, light and shadow, and places of shelter and exposure. In this way unique places are created to be enjoyed by residents and guests alike. The individual apartments are grouped on the different levels in different formations and come together to carefully shape a new neighbourhood.

Inside and Outside
The moderate climate of Beirut is certainly one of the city’s biggest assets; it makes outdoor life not only an additional, but an integral part of Beirut’s urban life. Capitalizing on this asset and cultivating apartments that foster such specificities is one of the key design principles. Each apartment’s indoor and outdoor spaces merge, and in this way the terraces become integral to everyday living.

Vegetation, Views and Privacy
The proposal for the vegetation blends in with the concept of the existing masterplan. The idea of a green boulevard that connects the residential high rise to its surroundings is taken up by the design and continued vertically both inside and outside of the building. The main entry, an airy high space is equipped with water ponds, plants and outlooks that open up the views to the sea in the north and the green boulevard to the east. The complement between architecture and suspended nature enlivens the spacious lobby around the central core and continues up to the balconies and terraces throughout the entire building. The entry sequence thus develops a consistent transition between the open, public landscape and private, green residences.

Being almost on the shoreline of Beirut, the sea-views are precious qualities of the project. Throughout the building’s terraces plantings create vegetated screens, which simultaneously provide shade, but, more importantly, guarantee the necessary level of privacy between the individual apartment’s terraces. Additionally, the building’s vegetation frames views and generates pleasant microclimates by tempering their immediate environment and providing an active breathing part of the architecture. 

Light and Identity
Extensive overhangs provide shadow and reduce the solar gains of the building to a minimum. Wherever needed, perforations mediate the levels of light and solar exposure. Their density, shape, and shadows generate an unmistakable pattern that clearly distinguishes the identity of the tower from its surroundings. Furthermore, the relative thickness of the floor plates is substantial enough to balance the daily temperature cycles by virtue of its thermal mass, storing heat over the course of the day and releasing it during the cooler nights. It is such passive strategies that make the building a truly sustainable place to live.

Structure
To guarantee sufficient differentiation of the building volume and maintain a reasonable building ratio, the tower is made from five module floors that repeat in different combinations. The slabs of each floor protrude around their entire circumference by 60 centimetres, easing construction and maintenance of the extensive glass façades. The structure is carried by the core and a regular column-grid that spans up to 14.7 meters. Each quarter of the tower has its own lobby with elevators serving no more than two apartments at a time. For higher efficiency two lobbies share service elevators, MEP risers, and fire escapes.

Apartments
The mix of apartments of different sizes and types such as simplex, duplex and townhouses with pools are distributed throughout the building to offer a variety of conditions to meet each tenant’s needs and provide each apartment with a unique identity. The apartments generally consist of three areas: a reception, private living spaces, and a service area. The reception opens to a foyer and leads to a grand living room with a spacious area for entertaining, a dining area, and a generous viewing terrace. The private space features a family living room and bedrooms including en-suite bathrooms and walk-in closets. The service area includes a kitchen with storage and laundry room attached and a maid’s bedroom with bathroom. All the main spaces like living rooms and bedrooms consistently provide a generous clear height of 3.4 meters.

Amenities
Beirut Terraces provides the residents with amenities at the entry level such as a generous spa with pool, sauna, steam and massage rooms and shopping facilities along the boulevard.

Parking
Parking is fully split between visitors and residents. The visitors enter by car from north, while the residents’ cars enter through the main gate to the south. Upon entering they first drop off their passengers, and then use the ramps that flank the circular driveway to descend directly to the restricted lower levels. When leaving the building the passengers are picked up in front of the main lobby and exit through the gate.

Herzog & de Meuron, 2010

Project Details:

Project Name: Beirut Terraces

Address: Beirut Central District, Lebanon

Project Phases: Competition: March - June 2009
Construction: June 2011 - June 2013

Project Team Partner: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Stefan Marbach
Project Architect: Tobias Winkelmann (Associate), Ursula Hürzeler
Project Team Competition: Dorothee Dietz, Joris Fach, Dara Huang, Christina Liao, Susanna Rahm, Monica Sedano, Thomasine Wolfensberger
Project Team Schematic Design: Alexandria Ålgård, Julia Jamrozik, Hamit
Kaplan, Yusun Kwon, Christina Liao, Sam Nelson, Daniel Rabin, Antonia Weiss, Claudia Winkelmann

Client: Benchmark Development SAL, Beirut, Lebanon
PLANNING

Architect Planning Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland

Structural Engineering Arup, London, UK / Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Leban

Mechanical Engineering Arup, London, UK / Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Lebanon

Electrical Engineering Arup, London, UK / Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Lebanon

Executive Architect Khatib & Alami, Beirut, Lebanon

SPECIALISTS / CONSULTING

Fire Consultant Arup, London, UK (Competition)
Socotec, Beirut, Lebanon

Landscape Architect Vladimir Djurovic Landscape Architecture, Broumana, Lebanon

Lighting Consultant Arup Lighting, London, UK

LEED Consultant G/ECS, Beirut, Lebanon

Façade Consultant PP Engineering, Basel, Switzerland

BUILDING DATA

Site Area 4′422 sqm

Building Footprint 4′273 sqm (base) 2′884 sqm (tower)

Building Dimensions Base 65,90 m x 66,20 m
Tower 53,70 m x 53,70 m
Height 119,62 m
Gross Volume (GV) approx. 309′000 m3

Gross Floor Area (GF) 100′700 sqm (incl. basement + terraces)

Relation GV/GF 3.07

Facade Surface 19′500 sqm
Number of Levels 26 (+1 Plant Level on Roof / +6 Underground)
FIGURES

• Luxury residential building
• 129 Apartment units
• Amenities for residents (Spa + Pool, Lounge)
• Shops and Parking for the public

Paul Kaloustian Architects have provided us with some information about their latest Beirut project, which creates shaded private “ïn-between” spaces for future residents using fabric skin that allows muted transparency and a continuously changing appearence of the building. We share it with you here on desMena:

The apartment building is located in the dense district of Gemayze in Beirut. The street enjoys an alignment of old buildings from one side and a big garden and church on the other. The designed building continues the street alignment while developing an organic growth from the rear part with a garden and a smaller structure. The new building is integrated into the urban environment but at the same time it opens up towards a more generous perception of the city.
The shape of the apartment building is the direct result of the building regulations in Beirut which allows having different sizes on each floor, thus a range of apartment areas from 250m2 to 500m2.
The transparency of the facades creates an openess towards the gardens while the sunblinds that unifies the facade are creating in-between spaces (balconies) shaded and private. The stretched fabric skin is allowing muted transparency and a continuously changing appearence of the building.

. archtitecture: PAUL KALOUSTIAN ARCHITECT
. developer: chekerdjian
. project: Residential building
. location: Gemayze, Beirut
. built area: 9700 m2
. floors above ground: 17
. underground parking floors: 3

Paul Kaloustian is graduated from GSD Harvard and worked with Herzog & de Meuron before establishing his own practice in Beirut in 2002.

OAD’s design for a sustainable mixed-use tower project in the U.A.E.

Miami based Architects OAD have designed the Marina + Beach Towers, a mixed use waterfront development that utilizes green building technology to create a livable elegant destination.

Oppenheim about the Marina + Beach Towers:

Based on our initial reading of the site we took the opportunity to maximize the quantity of units on the beach. This approach has permitted the introduction of new unit types with the spatial adjacencies of a village. What has emerged, in addition to the typologies, is a response that is simultaneously building and landscape; a project whose fluidity merges sky and water. This allows for more varied living experiences beyond the capabilities of the normative tower. Basing the unit types on a standard module has allowed its shifted repetition to develop into the woven tapestry of the façade; a surface that responds to every nuanced shift of light, while providing critical protection from the intense sun.

The emergent building has also allowed the creation of an ethereal botanical wonderland infused with ambient light. This shaded tapestry envelops the senses with subtle responses to sight, scent and sound. Contrary to the established master plan, which hinders the development of a continuous garden with swaths of roadway, there has been a distinct desire to maintain continuity across the entire site enabled, controlled and enhanced by the topography. The surface operates as a fluid response to the distinct characteristics; private and public, of the beach and marina zones on the site. From this new ground has also emerged the opportunity for the integration of unique amenities usually associated with the lifestyle such a location allows. The symbiosis between building and landscape has also resulted in the opening of the promenade into a bazaar of curated retail and dining experiences and the opportunity for the nestling of exclusive yacht and beach clubs.

An integral aspect of this orchestration has been our focus on self sustainability and an embrace of the natural resources. Herein we have deployed our only apparatus of exploitation. The building form itself becomes a device for luring cool breezes to spaces shielded from the sun, referencing the regional time-tested tradition of wind catchers. Inconspicuously and opportunistically the structure incorporates solar and wind arrays for the generation of some of this building’s required energy. Other integral systems deployed towards complete self sustenance, include various methods for the reuse of the vast amounts of water flowing through the site. Sustainability is imbued throughout the life cycle, where intelligent planning provides innovative opportunities for energy and resource conservation, up-cycling (as opposed to re-cycling), waste, and healthy building initiatives; where ecology and sustainability allow even greater guilt-free luxury, not self denial. The orchestration of all these imperatives has generated an elegance derived from simplicity that addresses all of the needs of development without any of the proliferating exuberance.

Marina + Beach Towers

Architect: Oppenheim Architecture + Design (OAD)

Scope: 2,648,850 SF mixed-use project.
Master Planning/Architecture/Interior design
Date: Estimated completion 2012
Location: U.A.E

The Hosfelt Gallery N.Y. will show the work of Driss Ouadahi an Algerian artist and architect whose paintings adress Modern Architecure’s failed promiss to improve the human condition.

Before immigrating to Europe and studying at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf, Algerian Driss Ouadahi studied architecture. His paintings of the ubiquitous high-rise, the legacy of Modern Architecture’s failed promise to improve the human condition, are renderings of impenetrable boundaries of steel, glass and concrete.

driss ouadahi “fences 5″ 2010, oil on linen, 200×170 cm

Ouadahi’s exploration begins with images of the enormous public housing developments in Algiers that had been modeled on France’s habitation à loyer modéré (housing at moderated rents). In North Africa, these monoliths accommodate displaced rural populations; in Europe, they house immigrants from former colonies. They are symbols of the politics of class, religion and ethnicity. Reminders of “otherness.”

driss ouadahi “desenclavment” 2010 oil on linen 190×240 cm

Behind Ouadahi’s facades, the residents are neatly invisible. Even when the buildings are transparent, a lattice-like structure separates the viewer from the view. There are references to mashrabiya - the screened windows in traditional North African and Middle Eastern architecture - as well as to steel frame construction, scaffolding and barred windows. Boundaries abound.
In addition to the permutations of “cityscape” which Ouadahi has been exploring in the last few years, this exhibition will be comprised of two new types of paintings. The first are rigorously formal renderings of chain-link fencing that are both minimalist abstractions and a signifier of separation.

The second are depictions of tiled passageways, akin to subway systems like the Paris Métro. Fluorescent-lit and grimy, they are labyrinthian and claustrophobic. Ostensibly their purpose is movement from one place to another. But they feel more like blocked escape routes or morgues. They speak to restricted mobility in a supposedly global culture.

driss ouadahi “traces” 2010 oil on linen 180×220 cm

In spite of their beauty, all of these paintings address dehumanization. Literally, they are devoid of people. Metaphorically, they speak to separateness and the unwillingness to recognize the humanity in those who are different.

A 48-page, cloth-bound catalogue with 31 color reproductions and an essay by renowned New York art critic Kim Levin has been published in connection with this exhibition and is available through the gallery.

Densité by DRISS OUADAHI
1 October - 13 November 2010
Hosfelt Gallery New York
Wednesday - Saturday 10-6

www.hosfeltgallery.com

Portuguese architects Saraiva+Associados design the Torre Alger XXI - an office tower in Algiers

Saraiva + Associados have sent us images of their design of an iconic office tower in Algiers that creates a “positive rupture” with its differentiated and striking image.

Alger XXI Tower

The Alger XXI Tower is constituted by 17 floors (R+16) for office use, has a commercial area at the ground level and also 2 floors for parking in basement.
With a construction area of 8.366 square meters, 7.241 are reserved to the implementation of offices, 145 for commerce and 980 for parking.

Its privileged location in the city of Algiers, allows endowing this structure with a great visibility of the city, which, for this type of use, is extremely important, being able to come to consist in a referential of identity for the place and the region.

Wanting to be a new icon, the building presents an enormous flexibility in its use, enough to be able to adapt to the future users requirements and necessities. This situation endows the tower with a new occupation philosophy, presents an intelligent modulation of its diverse components, not forgetting about the comfort and using technologies that protect the environment, as well as the easiness of exploration and maintenance.

The tower presents an intelligent building concept, not for the existence of expensive technological artifacts, but for its correct adequacy to the environment conditions, and adaptability to programmatically and technological requests of the market, in the future.

Its differentiated and striking image intends to create a positive rupture with its involving one, transmitting to the object distinctness, a singular identity.

Date: June de 2009
Status: Preliminary Study
Promoter: Media Discs Industries
Architecture: Saraiva + Associados
Total area: 8.366 sqm
Offices area: 7.241 sqm
Commercial Area: 145 sqm
Parking area: 980 sqm
Floors above the ground: 17
Floors underground: 2
Credits: 3D Helps+
Saraiva+Associados

Pei Partnership Architects and Ruder Finn Communications have provided us with images and plans of Doha’s iconic MIA - we share it with you on desMena.

MIA - Qatar’s iconic landmark building designed by NY Architects Pei Partnership

Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect I.M. Pei, the 376,740-square-foot Museum of Islamic Art in Doha Bay houses a collection of international masterpieces in galleries encircling a soaring, five-storey-high domed atrium. The Museum, an architectural icon 60m (195ft) off Doha’s Corniche, rises from the sea and is connected to shore by two pedestrian bridges and a vehicular bridge. A C-shaped peninsula and park area on the shoreline behind the Museum offer shelter and a picturesque backdrop.
The Museum is composed of a five-storey Main Building and a two-storey Education Wing, which are connected across a central courtyard. The Main Building’s angular volumes step back progressively as they rise around a 50-m-high (164ft) central domed atrium. The dome is concealed from outside view by the walls of a central tower. A sheet of glass rises to a height of 45m (148ft) on the north side of the Museum offering views of the Gulf and West Bay area of Doha from all five floors of the atrium. Ceilings are constructed of intricate cast-in place architectural concrete coffered domes, finished with individual molds. At the top of the atrium is the circular oculus of a stainless steel dome, which captures facets of patterned light. The form of the dome changes as the structure descends, so its perimeter becomes an octagon and then a square, which in turn is transformed into four triangular column supports.

west-east section

Mission
The Museum of Islamic Art is dedicated to reflecting the full vitality, complexity and diversity of the arts of the Islamic world. It is a world-class collecting institution, which preserves, studies and exhibits masterpieces spanning three continents and 13 centuries. As a centre for information, research and creativity, the Museum aims to reach a wide global audience and serve as a hub for dialogue and cultural exchange.

The Museum of Islamic Art’s main building entrance façade through the palm tree alley;

Context
The Museum of Islamic Art is the flagship project of the Qatar Museums Authority, which under the leadership of its Chairperson, H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa, is transforming the State of Qatar into a cultural capital of the Middle East. Qatar Museums Authority was created in December 2005 to combine the resources of all museums in the State of Qatar. The QMA’s vision revolves around the provision of a comprehensive umbrella under which future plans will be drawn for the development of national museums and the establishment of an effective system for collecting, protecting, preserving and interpreting historic sites, monuments and artifacts.

View of the Museum of Islamic Art from the Doha Corniche;

The Building
The Museum of Islamic Art is the result of a journey of discovery conducted by I.M. Pei, whose quest to understand the diversity of Islamic architecture led him on a world tour. During visits to the Grand Mosque in Córdoba, Spain; Fatehpur Sikri, a Mughal capital in India; the Umayyad Great Mosque in Damascus, Syria; and the ribat fortresses at Monastir and Sousse in Tunisia, he found that influences of climate and culture led to many interpretations of Islamic architecture, but none evoked the true essence he sought.

Mr. Pei’s final design inspiration was the 13th-century sabil (ablutions fountain) of the Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Tulun in Cairo, Egypt (9th century). In the “austerity and simplicity” of the sabil, Mr. Pei stated, he found “a severe architecture that comes to life in the sun, with its shadows and shades of colour” The sabil offered “an almost Cubist expression of geometric progression”which evoked an abstract vision of the key design elements of Islamic architecture.

The desert light plays with the geometry of the Museum of Islamic Art;

Declining to build the structure on any of the proposed sites along the Corniche, Mr. Pei suggested a stand-alone island be created to ensure future buildings would never encroach on the Museum. The building stands in the sea some 195 feet off Doha’s Corniche. A park of approximately 64 acres of dunes and oases on the shoreline behind the Museum offers shelter and a picturesque backdrop.

siteplan

Built of fine materials, such as cream-coloured Magny and Chamesson limestone from France, Jet Mist granite from the United States and stainless steel from Germany, as well as architectural concrete from Qatar, the Museum is composed of a five-storey main building and a two-storey Education Wing, which are connected across a central courtyard. The main building’s angular volumes step back progressively as they rise around a 164-foot-high domed atrium, which is concealed from outside view by the walls of a central tower. At the top of the atrium, an oculus captures and reflects patterned light within the faceted dome. The desert sun plays a fundamental role, transforming the architecture into a play of light and shadows.

Museum of Islamic Art, reflected in the waters of the Arabian Gulf;

The faceted dome of the Museum of Islamic Art features an oculus that captures and reflects sunlight;

A glass curtain wall on the north side of the Museum offers panoramic views of the Gulf and West Bay area of Doha from all five floors of the atrium. Ceilings are embellished with intricate coffered domes, and perforated metal chandeliers hang in the atrium. Two more lanterns, each 100 feet tall, mark the boat dock on the west side of the Museum, creating a grand entrance for guests arriving by boat.

The Museum of Islamic Art features a 5-storey window that offers views of the Gulf and the West Bay of Doha;

The fountain café on the ground floor of the Museum of Islamic Art;

The galleries, designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte from Paris, France feature dark grey porphyry stone and Louro Faya, a Brazilian lacewood that was brushed and treated to create a metallic appearance, which contrast with the light-coloured stonework of the rest of the Museum. To protect the fragile antiquities on display, the exhibition rooms feature specially designed cases and lighting. Mr. Wilmotte also created custom furniture for the museum, inspired by Pei’s architectural style.

Gallery view of the Egypt and Syria (12th-13th Century) section of the Museum of Islamic Art’s permanent collection;
Photo by Lois Lammerhuber,

View of the manuscripts/rare books reading room located in the Education Wing library;

The Museum’s education programs are housed in a 29,000-square-foot wing, located to the east of the main building across a fountain courtyard. The Education Wing, scheduled to open late 2009, includes a light-filled reading room in the Museum library, classrooms, workshops, study spaces, and technical and storage facilities. Among the latter is the conservation laboratory, an important new resource for the entire region. Underscoring the central role of education in the Museum of Islamic Art, the Education Wing will host educational and community activities to develop and foster an understanding and appreciation for Islamic art.

Interior of the Education Wing library designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte & Associés;

Museum of Islamic Art is located on its own island off the Doha Corniche;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

The Museum of Islamic Art against the Doha skyline;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

Museum of Islamic Art situated 60m off the Doha Corniche on an island made of reclaimed land;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

The grand staircase at the Museum of Islamic Art, as seen from the main entrance;
© by Museum of Islamic Art

The grand spiral staircase at the centre of the atrium of the Museum of Islamic Art is offset from the patterned chandelier
© by Museum of Islamic Art

MIA first floor plan © by Pei Partnership Architects

MIA second floor plan © by Pei Partnership Architects

MIA third floor plan © by Pei Partnership Architects

MIA fourth floor plan © by Pei Partnership Architects

MIA fifth floor plan © by Pei Partnership Architects

MIA north-south section © by Pei Partnership Architects

Facilities
Two floors of permanent exhibition galleries
One main temporary gallery
Two outdoor courtyards flank the vast atrium area
A 197-seat auditorium
Prayer halls for men and women
A gift and bookshop
A world-class conservation lab and object storage
A library and closed rare-books study section
Classrooms and offices

Dimensions
Total building 35,500sq m (382,118sq ft)

Total gallery space 4,225sq m (45,477sq ft)

Permanent gallery space 3,100sq m (33,368sq ft)

Temporary gallery space 750sq m (8,073sq ft)

Study galleries 375sq m (4,036sq ft)

Education Wing 2,700sq m (29,062sq ft)

Library 820sq m (8,826sq ft)

Conservation lab 400sq m (4,305sq ft)

Collection storage 1,800sq m (19,375sq ft)

Auditorium (197 seats) 430sq m (4,628sq ft)

Restaurant 380sq m (4,090sq ft)

Gift shop 300sq m (3,229sq ft)

Highest point (inside) 50m (164ft)

Highest point (outside) 63m (207ft)

North facing glazed glass 45m (148ft)

Chandelier (main lobby) 12m diameter (39ft)

Light pillars at the boat dock 30m high each (98ft)

Museum Park (inc. peninsula) 26 hectares (64.2 acres)

Ceremonial entrance & bridge 280m (918ft)

Design Team
Architect: I. M. Pei Architect (New York)
I.M. Pei
Perry Y. Chin, Project Manager
Hiroshi Okamoto, Design, Site Representative
TohTsun Lim, Design / Job Captain, Site Representative
Fatma Aslihan Demirtas, Lead Design
Deborah Ann Campbell, Job Captain
Haruko Fukui, Design
Rayme Kuniyuki, Technical Design
Stephen A. Hopkins, Technical
Aki Ishida, Technical
Chris Rand, Design
Yi Chi Su, Technical
Michael Visscihelli, Technical Advisor
Andy Mei, Technical

Gallery Design
Jean-Michel Wilmotte (Paris)
Jean-Michel Wilmotte
Emmanuel Brelot, Project Manager
Fabian Servagnat, Job Captain and Site Representative
Xavier Turk, Design and Site Representative
Designers Barbara Clout, Abir Fawaz, Hoon Moreau, Emilie Oliverio, Jean-Luc Perrin, Michael Placidi, Moochul Shin

Consultants
Structural Engineer: Leslie E. Robertson Associates, NY
Mechanical Engineer: Jaros Baum & Bolles, NY
Lighting Designer Fisher Marantz Stone, NY
Local Associate: Qatar Engineer & Associates, Doha
Acoustics: Xu Acoustique, Paris
AudioVisual: Shen Milsom Wilke, NY
Fountain: Fountain People, Texas/HOBBS Architectural Fountains, Georgia
Marine Engineering: COWI A/S, Denmark
Fire Protection/ Life Safety: Rolf Jensen & Associates, NY
Gallery Lighting: Isometrix, London
Signage: ENT Design, Paris
Audio Visual / IT Design: Soheil Ghodsy, Paris
Security Design: Quadrant Security Group, London
Kitchen Design: Plan Consultant, Paris
Conservation: Plowden & Smith, London
Quantity Surveyor and Manager: Sterling Quest Associates, Paris

Publications
Museum of Islamic Art by Philip Jodidio, Prestel 2008 Museum Guide
Other books include: From Cordoba to Samarqand
Metalwork Treasures from the Islamic Court
Jeweled Treasures from the Mughal Courts
Iznik Pottery for the Ottoman Empire
Mamluk Enameled and Gilded Glass
Ivory
Silk
A Written Cosmos

Sponsors
Exclusive QMA Media Partner: Al Jazeera Network Strategic Financial Partner: Qatar Financial Center (QFC) Exclusive Communications Partner: Qatar Telecom (Qtel)

Audio Guide
A multimedia tour produced by Antenna is available in English and Arabic

Visitor Information
The Museum of Islamic Art Al Corniche Doha, Qatar Telephone: +974 422 4444 Website: www.mia.org.qa
Hours
The Museum of Islamic Art is open Saturday through Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays, December 25 and the first day of Eid.
Admission
There is no charge for admission to the Museum, or to the first Temporary Exhibition. A charge will be made

Nabil Gholam Architects designed the H Chalet - a mountain retreat in Faqra. Read how the landscape and ancient sites of Faqra inspired their design here on desMena:

The H Chalet by Nabil Gholam

Faqra, Lebanon
2009

Tucked into the steep landscape of Faqra Club, Mount Lebanon, the H Chalet is a vacation home designed to cater for a family of four, with a slight accent to the parent’s activities. Subtle games of hiding, exposing, gazing and peeking shape the dynamics of the program. The base of the house is blended into the landscape with the use of the ancestral language of local stone terraces cascading to make use of sloping agricultural land. The local stone and rough finishes working with the simplicity and the purity of the form, relate the project to its rural vicinity, highlighted by the presence of massive limestone rocks. The side walls are almost blind to secure privacy from the neighbors; with minimal opening to access the side terraced gardens.

The house reads as 2 shifting concrete boxes placed on the landscaped terrace.
The shifting responds to the very tight building limits for the site, yet benefits from opening different angles on the breathtaking view, with a privilege for the master bedroom.
The night areas are located in the concrete boxes, whereas the living is at the lowermost level extending outside to a terrace. A pool at the edge blends the terrace through its reflection with the view beyond. Due to its glazed longitudinal walls this pool at its depth gives substantial lighting to the playroom situated in the basement, which in turn can get a playful view of the swimmers and the view at the other end.

Two circulations happen in the house: one direct and internal and the other indirect and external. The internal one is integrated in a service bar that anchors all levels. The external circulation is more of a promenade down the different levels of the terraces and gardens of the house. A third “secret” stair connects the main living area to the playroom in the basement. The dining area enjoys a double height ceiling and is connected visually to the master bedroom floor through a free shaped hole in the slab. Thick walls, deep openings with low-E glazing and green roofs work to stabilize the temperature inside and absorb the climate extremes, leading to an improved quality of life paired with a reduction in energy consumption. Sustainability is enhanced further through the use of the local excavated stone on site for the finishes of the terraces and the base of the house, and through collecting the snow water that is filtered to be used domestically as well as for irrigation.

Area: 415.5m² (net), 973.8m² (gross)

Team:
Architecture: nabil gholam architects
3D Images: nabil gholam architects, ateliers U and V-Pictures