The Lebanese-born, Paris-based architect Lina Ghotmeh has recently unveiled the campus expansion of the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha. The museum reaffirms its role in the global art ecosystem with an institution dedicated to research, learning, and artistic production. This project coincides with the museum’s fifteenth anniversary, marking a transition from a site of passive retrospection to one of active cultural expression.
Lina Ghotmeh’s Design Philosophy for Mathaf Museum
Born out of Sheikh Hassan bin Mohamed bin Ali Al Thani’s extensive collection of Arab art, Mathaf was established in 2010, offering an encyclopedic overview of artistic practice from 1840 to the present. The expansion marks a new chapter, transforming the museum into a space where artists create, thereby reinforcing Qatar’s investment in a creative economy. The existing structure spans approximately 5,500 square meters, with an expansion extending into the surrounding plaza and former parking areas.
Lina Ghotmeh’s design philosophy is centered on the belief that every design intervention must be drawn from the traces of the past. Her process begins with a multidisciplinary dive into the social, political, and material history of a site. That approach has evolved into the repurposing of existing volumes and the introduction of materials that evoke a sensory and historical connection to the Qatari landscape.
The first phase of construction, which opened in 2025, focused on the museum’s ground floor, establishing a social threshold that welcomes visitors into an environment that prioritizes research and conversation as much as visual consumption.
The defining architectural element of the Mathaf campus is the use of a continuous earthen ground plane, linking the building to the outdoor spaces. This choice is not merely aesthetic but also responds to the Arab climate conditions, providing a cooler, more tactile environment than conventional concrete or asphalt. In the context of Doha’s extreme heat, this ground plane functions as a passive cooling strategy, supporting outdoor community engagement.
The Curtain-Like Architectural Skin
To blend with the existing structure, Lina Ghotmeh designed a curtain-like architectural skin, an envelope constructed of metal that serves multiple functions. It provides coherence and a unified identity for a campus that has grown organically through different phases. The skin acts as a brise-soleil, filtering the intense Qatari sunlight to protect sensitive works and create comfortable interiors. The curtain-like skin also serves as a buffer, maintaining a level of visual permeability that connects the museum to the outside and enhances its goal of openness and community engagement.
The Majlis-Inspired Library
The new library is conceived as a majlis-inspired space, a place of sitting and social gathering to exchange ideas and news in the Arab traditions. It redefines the role of the library, positioning research as a communal rather than a solitary activity. The architectural design is organized around modular, building-block-like furniture units that can be reconfigured for different types of engagement. This flexibility allows the library to serve as a space for diverse functions, such as a quiet reading room, a platform for public talks, or a workshop area for students.
The Production Paradigm and Artist-led Facilities
Envisioned with ceramicist Adrian Müller, the ceramic studio will include specialized kilns, shared work areas, and an unobstructed area for workshops and open sessions. The makerspace, developed alongside artist Matteo Gonet, will focus on glassmaking, woodworking, and broader material experimentation, fostering an exchange between traditional craftsmanship and modern artistic inquiry.
The most innovative aspect of the expansion will be the sound studio, created in partnership with sound artist Tarek Atoui. It is a unique sound residency program, inviting regional and international artists to explore acoustic ecology and electroacoustic composition. The second phase of the expansion will transform the current parking area and plaza into a maker’s campus. By collaborating with established artists to develop the functional programming of these studios, Lina Ghotmeh’s design ensures that the facilities are not just architecturally striking but also state-of-the-art in their technical capabilities.
Photo Credits: © Lina Ghotmeh – Architecture
