Qatar is soon expected to begin construction work on the new Lusail Museum, which is located on the Al Maha Island in Lusail just north of Doha. It has been designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss architectural firm, Herzog & de Meuron. The museum is expected to be completed in 2029.

Lusail was the home of Sheikh Jassim bin Mohamed bin Thani, the Founder of Qatar, and his story will be a key theme throughout the design of the museum, the statement explained.

The museum will be 30m tall, spread over five levels. The structure will have a footprint of 11,000sqm on a site in excess of 100,000sqm, and will include areas for art exhibitions and a “think tank” space for discussions on global issues.

Much of the museum’s design is inspired by Muslim architecture and culture, as well as the surrounding environment, says architect Jacques Herzog. He explains that the crescent shape, found throughout Islamic culture, was a key factor when designing the building. Inside, a crescent-shaped ‘boulevard’ will guide visitors through the museum.

He explained, “Of course, it’s a piece of identity for some Muslim dynasties, but also in a more pragmatic way, it’s a boulevard curve where you don’t see exactly where it ends. That’s a detail which is important for us. Where you start and where you end is not really predetermined and it leaves room for imagination.”

Last December, the location for the museum was marked with a ground-breaking ceremony. New renderings of the building have also been recently released.