National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects

National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Image 2 of 19National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - ShelvingNational Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Shelving, Windows, BeamNational Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Image 5 of 19National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - More Images+ 14

Doha, Qatar
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National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Shelving
© Tom Ferguson Photography

Text description provided by the architects. The design of the Interiors by Koichi Takada Architects in the National Museum of Qatar is a Narrative of the Qatari history. The designs are an embodiment of the Qatari history, the beginnings of the trade, nomadic lifestyle and beautiful natural environment. Through many conversations with the local Qatari people, the designs evolved to translate a story into visual design and memorable experience.

National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Image 11 of 19
© Tom Ferguson Photography
Courtesy of Koichi Takada Architects
National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Shelving, Windows, Beam
© Tom Ferguson Photography

The Dahl Al Misfir (Cave of Light), located in the heart of Qatar, is a beautiful underground sanctuary formed largely from fibrous gypsum crystals that give off a faint, moon-like, phosphorescent glow. Gypsum can appear in formations of clusters, such as the famous ‘desert rose’, but can also crystallize in other forms of fluorescent and translucent shapes, interacting with light and transforming the space, evolving through the day.

National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Image 9 of 19
© Tom Ferguson Photography

The timber walls of the museum shops were inspired by Dahl Al Misfir. Its organic architecture echoes Koichi Takada’s vision of bringing nature back into architecture, establishing relationships that connect people and nature through design. Using a cutting-edge 3D modeling software, we achieved a design of curves and surfaces that words fail to describe. 

National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects - Beam
© Tom Ferguson Photography

Imagine putting together the 40,000 wooden pieces of a three-dimensional puzzle? Each wooden piece, CNC-cut in Italy, is entirely unique so it could only fit with its exact complementary piece. They were assembled by hand in Doha by Italian master carpenter, Claudio Devoto and his team of artisans. The intensity of the design and craftsmanship pays homage to Jean Nouvel's desert rose inspired architecture and celebrates the natural Qatari heritage of the desert-scape.

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Address:Doha, Qatar

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Cite: "National Museum of Qatar Shop Interiors / Koichi Takada Architects" 03 May 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/916244/national-museum-of-qatar-shop-interiors-koichi-takada-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

© Tom Ferguson Photography

卡塔尔国家博物馆商店 / 高田浩一建筑事务所

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