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Tribune News Network
Doha
THE National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) on Sunday announced its plans for gift shops and food sites, which will open over the course of several weeks after the public opening of the museum on March 28.
Similar to the carefully chosen aesthetic of the museum itself, each outfit was created by an artist whose vision was inspired by the grand design of the desert rose.
Japanese-born, Sydney-based designer Koichi Takada won the competition to create the stunning indoor spaces. The firm designed both museum shops (a gift shop and a children’s gift shop), the Desert Rose Café, Cafe 875 and Jiwan Restaurant. Inspired by traditional Qatari hospitality and the idea of taking respite along a journey, the design also sought to complement Jean Nouvel’s architecture.
Principal architect Koichi Takada explained: “Designing the interiors of the National Museum of Qatar was an opportunity to create a unique experience for visitors to allow them to be immersed in Qatar’s cultural heritage — the traditional and historical past, and its development into a modern state as the cultural hub of the Middle East. Each interior space offers a fragment of the Qatari history that aims to both enhance and fulfil a cultural and memorable experience for museum visitors.”
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. This natural formation inspired the design of the two museum shops that will be open at the NMoQ. The interiors are constructed from 40,000 unique wooden pieces, which form a three-dimensional puzzle. The pieces were assembled in Doha by Italian master carpenter, Claudio Devoto and his team of artisans.
The main gift shop will stock a large collection of well-designed, exclusive gifts, many of which draw their inspiration from the history, heritage and culture of Qatar.
The children’s gift shop will offer a diverse range of locally designed souvenirs and gift items, including educational toys, books, puzzles and games.
The Desert Rose Café is located on the ground floor and opens to both the lagoon (at the Corniche side) and to the Baraha courtyard. The café is an oasis of desert rose formations, offering a perfect mid-way resting spot for visitors to break the journey through the galleries.
Café 875 was inspired by traditional Qatari gold jewellery, with the concept of ‘875’ representing the grade of the gold’s purity. This 875 gold theme carries through in the café’s design, offering patrons a chance to dine in a traditional Qatari setting inspired by Bedouin nomadic lifestyle and enduring hospitality. The fabric used in the cafe blends the traditional black and white stripes of Al Sadu weaving heritage, symbolising the country’s transition into a modern Qatar. Café 875 is located on the mezzanine floor over the main lobby.
The Jiwan Restaurant, located on the fourth floor at the top of the museum, has a terrace with stunning panoramic views over the Doha Bay. It embodies the unique landscape of the ‘inland sea’ or Khor Al Adaid where the sea comes deep into the heart of the desert. Jiwan is named after the Qatari word for the ‘perfect pearl’, rose-tinted white, completely round with a lustre so pure that it comes alive with radiance.
Doha
THE National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) on Sunday announced its plans for gift shops and food sites, which will open over the course of several weeks after the public opening of the museum on March 28.
Similar to the carefully chosen aesthetic of the museum itself, each outfit was created by an artist whose vision was inspired by the grand design of the desert rose.
Japanese-born, Sydney-based designer Koichi Takada won the competition to create the stunning indoor spaces. The firm designed both museum shops (a gift shop and a children’s gift shop), the Desert Rose Café, Cafe 875 and Jiwan Restaurant. Inspired by traditional Qatari hospitality and the idea of taking respite along a journey, the design also sought to complement Jean Nouvel’s architecture.
Principal architect Koichi Takada explained: “Designing the interiors of the National Museum of Qatar was an opportunity to create a unique experience for visitors to allow them to be immersed in Qatar’s cultural heritage — the traditional and historical past, and its development into a modern state as the cultural hub of the Middle East. Each interior space offers a fragment of the Qatari history that aims to both enhance and fulfil a cultural and memorable experience for museum visitors.”
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. This natural formation inspired the design of the two museum shops that will be open at the NMoQ. The interiors are constructed from 40,000 unique wooden pieces, which form a three-dimensional puzzle. The pieces were assembled in Doha by Italian master carpenter, Claudio Devoto and his team of artisans.
The main gift shop will stock a large collection of well-designed, exclusive gifts, many of which draw their inspiration from the history, heritage and culture of Qatar.
The children’s gift shop will offer a diverse range of locally designed souvenirs and gift items, including educational toys, books, puzzles and games.
The Desert Rose Café is located on the ground floor and opens to both the lagoon (at the Corniche side) and to the Baraha courtyard. The café is an oasis of desert rose formations, offering a perfect mid-way resting spot for visitors to break the journey through the galleries.
Café 875 was inspired by traditional Qatari gold jewellery, with the concept of ‘875’ representing the grade of the gold’s purity. This 875 gold theme carries through in the café’s design, offering patrons a chance to dine in a traditional Qatari setting inspired by Bedouin nomadic lifestyle and enduring hospitality. The fabric used in the cafe blends the traditional black and white stripes of Al Sadu weaving heritage, symbolising the country’s transition into a modern Qatar. Café 875 is located on the mezzanine floor over the main lobby.
The Jiwan Restaurant, located on the fourth floor at the top of the museum, has a terrace with stunning panoramic views over the Doha Bay. It embodies the unique landscape of the ‘inland sea’ or Khor Al Adaid where the sea comes deep into the heart of the desert. Jiwan is named after the Qatari word for the ‘perfect pearl’, rose-tinted white, completely round with a lustre so pure that it comes alive with radiance.
