The true art of gemstone cutting is to turn the originally drab rough stone into a sparkling work of art by crafting its surfaces. The more complex the geometry applied, the more facets the stone will have, and the more impressive the end result will be.

 

In architectonic terms, I. M. Pei’s new construction for the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha is such a precious stone, despite its cladding of opaque French limestone. Its sharp-edged, regular yet complex form seems especially suited to creating unforgettable geometries of light and shadow in the blazing Arabian sun. The play of light and shadows continues within the almost 50 metre-high atrium. Daylight enters through a relatively small oculus right at the top of the building, and is reflected in a faceted stainless steel dome.

 

In many respects, the museum is a typical Pei creation – monumental, monolithic and windowless apart from an opening in the north side that reaches almost to the full height of the building.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF ISLAMIC ART

Nevertheless, the veteran architect, born in 1917, was anxious to adapt his use of forms to Islamic tradition: “It seemed to me that I had to grasp the essence of Islamic architecture. The difficulty of my task was that Islamic culture is so diverse”. Strongholds in North Africa and a fountain in the inner courtyard of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo were important sources of inspiration for his design. As with the fountain, the forms in I.M. Pei’s museum were to stand alone, pure and unornamented. While the external construction is true to this  conception, the atrium, with its concrete coffered ceiling and multicoloured stone floor, is more obviously in line with the tastes of the client.

 

The building stands on a specially created artificial island 60 metres offshore at the south end of the Bay of Doha. A 45 metre-high glass curtain wall to the north side of the atrium provides the only visual link between the museum’s interior and Doha’s skyline. No sunbeams, however, penetrate into the exhibition rooms, which are arranged around the atrium in five storeys. They were furnished using porphyry, valuable Brazilian wood and stainless steel mesh based on a design by the French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, and are lit electrically to the optimal degree for the artworks.