Doha, Qatar: Scheduled to open its doors in 2030, the Art Mill Museum, another addition to Qatar Museums, will not only offer a unique blend of exceptional collections and architectural ingenuity, but more than just a repository of art, the museum aims to create a dynamic relationship between the building and the public, inviting visitors to engage with the structure as an architectural marvel.
The museum will be housed within a repurposed industrial flour mill at the Old Doha Port along Corniche, and will showcase multidisciplinary works spanning from 1850 to the present day.
In the recent episode of “The Power of Culture” podcast, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, stressed the significance of this interaction. Reflecting on past experiences, she recalled the deliberations surrounding the decision to allow public engagement with the architectural design of the National Museum of Qatar.
Drawing parallels, she underscored the importance of enabling the public to connect with the Art Mill Museum even before its completion, envisioning a unique experience for visitors upon its opening.
Sheikha Mayassa said they wanted to showcase the “relationship between the building and the public because that’s something that we are essentially introducing.”
“I remember when we had Jean Nouvel, [World-renowned architect and designer of the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ)] before anything was installed, we allowed the public to engage with the building as an architectural experience and internally we had a lot of discussions, should we do it, should we not do it and then we decided that we are going to do it because we wanted the public to engage with the building as an architectural experience.”
She also stressed that once the Art Mill Museum opens, “it will be a very different experience of the same building.”
Designed by ELEMENTAL, led by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Alejandro Aravena, the Art Mill Museum project extends beyond mere preservation, integrating innovative design elements with the historical fabric of the flour mill. Complementing the architectural vision, the museum’s garden, crafted by VOGT Landscape Architects, adds an outdoor dimension to the visitor experience.
Sheikha Mayassa also highlighted the success of the Art Mill Museum exhibition held from October 2022 to March 2023, which offered a glimpse into the museum’s future trajectory, architectural nuances, and signature garden. This precursor event provided a platform for engaging the public and garnering feedback.
Echoing Sheikha Mayassa’s sentiments, Alejandro Aravena noted the importance of creating immersive experiences for visitors.
Drawing parallels to their participation in the Venice Biennale, he stressed the value of experiential learning and emotional engagement in acquiring knowledge.
Reflecting on the exhibition held at the Flour Mill, Aravena noted the decision to recreate a one-to-one scale footprint of a silo, inviting visitors to explore a space rarely experienced from within.
This experiential approach, he believes, offers a deeper understanding of the architectural heritage and potential of repurposed industrial spaces.
The Art Mill Museum joins a lineage of repurposed buildings in Qatar, symbolising the country’s commitment to cultural preservation and innovation.
The Fire Station, formerly the Civil Defense Building, was transformed in 2014 into a contemporary art space catering to creativity and public engagement.
Similarly, Liwan Design Studios and Labs, along with The Ned Doha, exemplify Qatar’s embrace of adaptive reuse, breathing new life into architectural relics of the past.
