Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar, is expanding its campus with a multi-phase project designed by Paris-based Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture. The expansion aims to transform Mathaf into a production site where artists can work, test materials, and host public programs alongside exhibitions, marking the institution’s 15th anniversary.
The project includes a reconfigured ground floor with a majlis-inspired library and conversation space, organized around modular furniture for talks, workshops, and browsing sessions. The campus will feature volumes wrapped in a metal, curtain-like skin, with a plaza connecting warehouse buildings labeled “MAKERSPACE” and “ARTIST’S SPACE”. Facilities will include studios for ceramics, glassmaking, sound, and materials experimentation, developed with artists like Adrian Müller and Tarek Atoui.
“By expanding Mathaf’s programmes and spaces to include residency studios, makerspaces, and workshops for ceramics and glassmaking, as well as a unique sound residency programme, we are transforming the Museum into a place where artists can also create,” said Zeina Arida, Director, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.
The design emphasizes openness, gathering, and cultural exchange, aligning with Qatar’s cultural diplomacy efforts. This project follows Ghotmeh’s work on Qatar’s Venice Biennale pavilion and the British Museum’s Western Range galleries redesign.
Image Courtesy: The Architect’s Newspaper
