Architecture+Design Community Contest: World Architecture Day | (Museum of Islamic Art, Doha Qatar)

“Architecture is the very mirror of life.” ― I. M. Pei

A quote stated by the world-renowned Chinese-American architect I.M Pei. Architecture truly reflects the place, people, and culture. As I’ve traveled to different places, I’ve seen how designs evoke a sense of place and familiarity. Something that people would call their own.

In celebration of #WorldArchitectureDay, I’m gonna post one of the best places I’ve ever been (by far) if you talk about architecture. Though I’m not from this place, I stayed there for a few months with my family. This building is none other than -- the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) designed by Architect I.M Pei.

_{This iconic building is located in Doha, Qatar impressing you with its beautiful landscape and rising skyline towards the Arabian Gulf.}

As architects, it is our dream to set foot in one of the buildings that masters of architecture have designed. I.M Pei was a Pritzker awardee, it’s like a Nobel prize for architecture. Getting there, knowing the culture, and experiencing the place was definitely a bucket list check not to mention that there is NO ENTRANCE FEE needed! But if you want a guided tour, you can also book their VIP tours (you can check on their website at https://www.mia.org.qa/en/)

The design of the museum has a noticeable mark of I.M Pei’s design signature, incorporating orthogonal and diagonal lines like how he designed the Louvre Pyramid in Paris and John Kennedy Library (you can check it out). What amazes me is even though it has some similarities with his previous works, he uses a different exterior material finish to match it with the building’s surroundings.

_{The photo was taken on a sunny afternoon, where the cream-colored limestone texture captures the changes in light and shade during the day.}
The experience started even as we’re still approaching the museum. It reminded me of India’s Taj Mahal, where the approach was truly grand and majestic. The museum is surrounded by a vast park also called MIA park, it has water features and amazing landscapes leading to the premises.

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The way he designed the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) is quite conservative much like a representation of Islamic belief and draws much influence from ancient Islamic architecture but with a modern touch. The shape of the building is monolithic, which gives a strong impression of seeing it outside. The use of geometric forms in the facade also gives you a glimpse of Islamic arts and patterns. What I do love about it is how the museum looks, not boring but not too glamorous either. It is simply not competing with its surroundings but perfectly harmonizes with Doha’s geography and culture.

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) houses collections of work gathered since the late 1980s and is said to be one of the world’s most complete collections of Islamic artifacts.

_{Some photos inside the Museum's gallery.}
As you get inside the five-storey building, a 45-meter tall window gives you a seamless panoramic view that will surely blow you away - the rising skyline of Doha. As the quote says, architecture truly mirrors life, like how it reflects the place’s past and the present. As I’ve observed, the museum is the reflection of the history of Islamic art, while the skyline reflects present Qatar, a booming and well-developed country.

_{A 45-meter tall window gives you a seamless panoramic view that will surely blow you away - the rising skyline of Doha}

Another thing you’ll notice in the interior is a curved double staircase sprawling at the center leading to the first floor. Topped by a high domed atrium and when you look above, it leads your eyes to the museum’s geometric skylight (which is my favorite feature of the museum), which captures and reflects light. The interior is quite the opposite of its monolithic exterior facade, it is hollow and light. Its wall and ceiling details are very intricate and inspired by Islamic arts and patterns.

_{Photos inside the museum showing its central piece,two curved staircase and the high domed atrium with geometric skylight.}

Navigating inside the building is very simple, it has a large atrium with walkways around and galleries where you can take a stopover and see collections of Islamic arts and learn more of its history. Even if it’s your first time, you’ll never get lost but you’ll surely get lost in time.

I stayed there for more than an hour and I didn’t get tired at all. I’ve seen an old collection of manuscripts, textiles, ceramics and learned how Islamic art was born, evolved, and how they value tradition. The experience of navigating inside the building is something that I'll treasure forever. It’s like knowing a person for a day. You get to know more about the place’s past and present when you experience it first hand.

As an architect, it inspires me to not just design for aesthetics but design to let people feel the place, the culture, and have an amazing experience. Just like what it did to me.

Thanks to hive community of architecture+design for this contest. It had led me back to my favorite travels of different places and amazing architecture.

Hello! Thanks for reading.
@arkicarls here and see you in my next blog Hivers!

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