Qatar Museums has unveiled visuals of the new Lusail Museum near the capital city Doha. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the five-story museum will be situated on Al Maha Island. Its sculptural form, resembling almost a fossilized seashell, derives from three intersecting and overlapping spheres that create various volumes within.

The exterior of the building will appear rough, with a texture reminiscent of hardened sand, featuring striated concrete in a light and warm tone to blend the building with the terrain and surrounding seascape.

The studio is introducing contrasting zones of glossy finishes, with plaster and metal, to highlight key design elements that stand out from the roughness of other surfaces; but also wood, fabric, and ceramic tiles scattered throughout the space. Geometric cuts and perforations will host the various entrances to the museum and recessed windows, sheltering the interior spaces from the strong light of the area.

In addition to a library, an auditorium, a bar, a prayer space, and a panoramic terrace, the project will host on its upper floors a large collection of Orientalist art. Connecting the exhibition spaces, four rooms will abstractly and minimally replicate various Islamic buildings, such as the dome over Sultan Murad III’s bedroom in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, and the dome of the Aljafaria Palace in Zaragoza, Spain. Construction work is expected to commence later this year, with completion slated for 2029.