Doha: Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art has announced a major campus expansion aimed at transforming the institution into a center for artistic production as well as exhibition.
According to Qatar News Agency, the project is being led by Lebanese-born architect Lina Ghotmeh, founder of the Paris-based studio Lina Ghotmeh - Architecture, who is also designing Qatar's future pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
Timed with Mathaf's 15th anniversary, the phased expansion was inaugurated on December 16 with the opening of a new Majlis-inspired library and conversation space. Designed as an open-plan hub, this space houses publications from the Arab world and features modular furniture that can be reconfigured for events, workshops, and discussions.
In later phases, the museum's existing parking area and surrounding plaza will be redeveloped into specialized studio facilities for artists and designers working in ceramics, glass, sound, and textiles. The expansion will ultimately unify the site into a single campus dedicated to research, learning, and artistic production.
Mathaf's director, Zeina Arida, expressed that the development marked "a new chapter" in the museum's history. She stated that by expanding Mathaf's programs and spaces to include residency studios, makerspaces, and workshops, they are transforming the museum into a place where artists can also create, thus strengthening community engagement and supporting Qatar's growing creative economy.
Lina Ghotmeh described the commission as an opportunity to reimagine the museum as "an active space for making and learning, in addition to exhibiting and displaying." She emphasized that the Arab Museum of Modern Art is a unique institution, and the expansion will offer a platform for presenting art and ideas, particularly by artists from the region.
The first phase of the project reconfigures the museum's ground floor into a public library and community hub, alongside an expanded bookshop and gift store operated by QC+, and a cafe. The redesigned atrium also features a newly commissioned portrait of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani by Chinese artist Yan Pei-Ming, joining portraits of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
Future phases will convert existing warehouses into purpose-built studios developed in collaboration with leading artists. These will include a ceramics studio designed with ceramicist Adrian Muller, a glass and materials makerspace developed with artist Matteo Gonet, and a sound studio created with sound artist Tarek Atoui. The facilities will form the core of a new residency program for international and regional artists.
The expanded campus will be unified by a new architectural skin and an earthen ground plane designed to respond to Qatar's climate. The anniversary celebrations are accompanied by a series of exhibitions and public programs, including Waters' Witness, an evolving sound installation by Tarek Atoui, and Autorretrato, a large-scale sculptural self-portrait by Argentinian artist Gabriel Chaile.
The introduction of the updated Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World website further enhances the museum's anniversary programming. Additionally, ongoing exhibitions like Resolutions: Celebrating 15 Years of Mathaf and we refused showcase Mathaf's permanent collection and contemporary works reflecting on political and social realities.
As part of Qatar Museums' Evolution Nation campaign, an 18-month initiative celebrating Qatar's cultural journey since the founding of the National Museum of Qatar, the expansion at Mathaf positions Qatar as a global hub for art, culture, and creativity.