Qatar's 'City of the Future' will soon host a five-story museum influenced by Muslim architecture and cultural heritage.

The skyline of Lusail, Qatar's new futuristic city, is set to be enhanced with a museum and arts center featuring a bold, circular design.

Slated to break ground later this year, the Lusail Museum will rise 30 meters (98 feet) across five levels, covering 11,000 square meters (118,000 square feet). The museum's expansive site, more than 10 times that size, will offer space for art exhibitions and a think tank for global discussions.

Known as Qatar's 'City of the Future,' Lusail is located about 10 miles north of Doha. Construction began in 2006, and the city now boasts architectural marvels like the Katara Towers and the Lusail Stadium, which hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. Once completed, Lusail will accommodate around 200,000 residents.

Architect Jacques Herzog notes that much of the museum's design draws inspiration from Muslim culture and the surrounding environment, with the crescent shape, significant in Islamic architecture, being a key feature. Inside, visitors will walk along a crescent-shaped 'boulevard' that guides them through the museum.

Herzog explains, "It's a symbol of identity for some Muslim dynasties, yet practically, it’s a winding boulevard whose endpoint is unclear, which holds significance for us."

"The journey's start and end are not fixed, allowing for space for the imagination to roam," says Herzog.

Herzog & de Meuron co-founder, Jacques Herzog, is no stranger to museum design, with the firm having previously worked on iconic projects like Hong Kong's M+ Museum, Miami's Pérez Art Museum, the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics, and London's Tate Modern.

Herzog envisions this project blending seamlessly into Lusail’s skyline as well as the surrounding sand, rock, and sea. The museum will be situated on Al Maha Island, a reclaimed land just off Qatar's coast, within an ever-evolving landscape.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place last December to mark the museum's location, and fresh renderings of the design have since been unveiled. The building will primarily use locally sourced materials, connecting the structure to its environment while addressing ecological concerns. Herzog emphasizes, "We want to create a building that doesn’t rely on imports but instead contributes positively to the environment."

The museum will feature green spaces with native trees and plants, and include solar panels and efficient water management systems to help reduce its carbon footprint and conserve water.

Orientalist Art

The museum will house multiple rooms for ongoing exhibitions, including a collection of Orientalist art. This style, which gained prominence in the 19th century, depicted Western interpretations of North Africa and the Middle East, often portraying the region as a land of beauty and mystique.

The art space will feature four 'anchor rooms,' each reflecting the classical architecture of four regions of the Islamic world. The northern room draws inspiration from Istanbul, the southern from Cairo, the western from Zaragoza, Spain, and the eastern from Isfahan, Iran.

"The concept of integrating elements from historic buildings into a modern structure has occupied my mind for many years – the challenge of relocating these pieces and juxtaposing them with contemporary architecture," says Herzog.

The rooms designated for dialogue will serve as spaces for everything from scholarly debates to mediations between global leaders. Qatar has recently played a key role in mediating the Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Hamas crisis.

The museum has been described as a 'layered souq,' a concept inspired by the traditional markets that have long existed throughout the Middle East.

Qatar's Souq Waqif is one of Doha's most iconic landmarks. The museum will feature spaces like restaurants, shops, and a mosque across several floors. Herzog envisions this as the building's central spine, calling it a 'stack,' a mini city of its own. "It has to have this depth and variety," he says.

For Herzog, creating a lasting legacy with Lusail Museum is a key design priority. He states, "My sole focus is to create something that can endure for generations."

"It’s essential for cities to have museums like this, as they attract new generations and offer art as a means of viewing the world differently. These spaces foster dialogue about art and global events, setting them apart from other museums we've worked on," Herzog explains.

Lusail Museum is scheduled for completion in 2029.