The Art Mill International Design Competition, a global search to find an outstanding team to design one of the world’s leading art galleries, ran from June 2015 to May 2017.

The competition was won by Chile-based practice, Elemental, whose design was described by the jury as ‘a serene artwork, where the structure is the architecture’. Elemental is led by Alejandro Aravena, the 2016 Pritzker Prize Laureate and supported by climate engineers, Transsolar; structural engineers, Schlaich Bergermann; and global design consultants, Stantec.

Gifted with one of the most spectacular and historic sites in the centre of Doha, the Art Mill will be pre-eminent in Doha’s waterfront ensemble of institutions dedicated to art and is expected to become one of the world’s leading cultural centres.

Elemental’s winning concept took as its inspiration the rhythmic monumental grain silos that are the industrial legacy of the original Flour Mills on the site, which have produced bread for the State since the 1980s. However, in a creative riff the team added to the strict geometry of retained silos a looser grouping of new silos that will act as cooling chimneys circulating air through the site that extends spectacularly on three sides into Doha Bay.

Committed to artistic and architectural exploration, Qatar has established its capital Doha as a global art destination. Qatar’s strategic national plan values contemporary art and culture as a powerful force, inspiring communities and stimulating a knowledge-based economy. The new institution will complete Doha’s acclaimed sequence of museums devoted to art, including notably, I.M. Pei’s Museum of Islamic Art, and Jean Nouvel’s forthcoming National Museum of Qatar.

As much a bridge between cultures as a treasure house, the Art Mill aims to inspire new insights, encourage receptivity, widen artistic sensibilities, and promote understanding. The Art Mill will celebrate imagination and creativity.

Qatar Museums is immensely grateful to all the competitors who took part in the competition, and in particular the 26 long-listed teams and the eight finalists.

Please read the original call for interest and competition brief in the following pages.

Committed to artistic and architectural exploration, Qatar has established its capital Doha as a global art destination. Qatar’s strategic national plan values contemporary art and culture as a powerful force, inspiring communities and stimulating a knowledge-based economy.

The Art Mill will be one of the largest and most forward-looking art galleries in the world

Qatar Museums is now searching for an architect to design the Art Mill in Doha. At circa one million square foot, the Art Mill will be one of the largest and most forward-looking art galleries in the world. The museum will require an accomplished design, with architectural integrity and presence, for the spectacular and historic waterfront site reserved for the project. The new institution will complete Doha’s acclaimed sequence of museums devoted to art, including notably, I.M. Pei’s Museum of Islamic Art, and Jean Nouvel’s forthcoming National Museum of Qatar.

As much a bridge between cultures as a treasure house, the new museum aims to inspire new insights, encourage receptivity, widen artistic sensibilities, and promote understanding. The Art Mill will celebrate imagination and creativity.

A new model for international design competitions, the Art Mill International Design Competition is structured to allow a highly focused, four-stage search. Qatar Museums is specifically seeking out new – as well as established – talent looking for architects with evident capability who are on the threshold of distinction.

Update: The Art Mill jury met in autumn 2016 in New York. Following an intense session of design interviews with all shortlisted practices and their associates, the jury invited two practices to go forward to a final stage. This stage will be conducted as a charrette with senior client representatives in early 2017, leading to a final jury in March 2017. An announcement will be made following the conclusion of the competition. The jury thanked all shortlisted competitors for their hard work and dedication during the third stage of the competition.

Doha is already home to some of the world’s most inventive and creative buildings, with more due for completion in time for the World Cup celebrations in 2022.

The proposed site for the Art Mill was originally a key node within the Arabian Gulf port, essential for the import of grain. It is presently occupied by Qatar Flour Mills, which sits to the east of Museum of Islamic Art (MIA). The site has a distinctive open aspect with three sides adjoining Doha Bay, and the other linking the city. The mill operation will now move to purpose-built new facilities.

The industrial process of milling has left a fascinating legacy in the layout and spaces of the existing buildings on the site, notably voluminous spaces and a rhythmic, patterned promenade of vertical silos. Some of the Flour Mills buildings possess an authentic monumentality in terms of positioning, scale and noble forms. Re-using and adapting these structures will be integral to the project.

The site area is circa 83,500m²/898,787 sq. ft. It is anticipated that extensive outside space will be integrated with the design, offering opportunities for cross-programming and public engagement as well as creating a beautiful and sustainable setting.

The building (or buildings) is/are expected to contain between 60,000m² and 80,000m² of gross space (645,835 and 861,113 sq. ft.), plus underground parking.

While predominantly comprising gallery and exhibition space, the museum’s brief also includes extensive education, conference and event space, as well as state-of-the-art conservation and storage to match the diversity of the collection. There will also be facilities to support the community and provide amenities for visiting families.

With its reinvention as a place generating cultural rather than physical sustenance, the site is well placed for transport and social amenities, supplying the missing jigsaw-piece to complete the public realm around a key civic quarter. Adjoining and linked to MIA park, and a few minutes’ walk from Doha’s famous Corniche, the site offers panoramic views across the bay to the skyline of the financial district.

The Art Mill will be dynamic, sustainable, contemporary and true to its social and cultural responsibilities. It will also acknowledge the heritage and setting of a historic site at the heart of the port and city.

The budget will reflect the significance of the building and the provision of international gallery standards.

Through the competition, Qatar Museums sought an exceptional architect, who identified with the project’s values and was dedicated to excellence. The first stage of the selection process was open to practising architects with at least seven years’ experience post final professional qualification. This four-stage competition process has been devised to test competitors, whilst optimising time and resources, and avoiding unnecessary waste in developing schemes.

1. stage one was an open call for interest to establish a long-list of 20 architects;
2. stage two saw these semi-finalists briefed and asked to envision strategies for the site and its links to the city;
3. stage three centred on eight finalists who were given a further briefing and asked to develop more detailed concept designs for the conversion and extension of the Flour Mills’ structures.
4. stage four 1. focused on the two teams selected by the jury at stage three, who participated in a design charrette before attending a final interview where the winner was be selected.

The project offers a life and career changing challenge; this is a cultural development ne plus ultra, and the brief calls for an analysis of many competing requirements as well as asking for a transformational strategy to the site and program.

We specifically sought out new as well as established talent, looking for architects with evident capability who are on the threshold of distinction.  A contribution to expenses of £5,000 was paid to the semi-finalists, and an honorarium of £30,000 was paid to each of the finalists. An additional honorarium was paid at stage four.

Project Values

• Accomplished and outstanding contemporary design demonstrating architectural integrity, dynamism and memorability
• Design reflecting awareness of the historic, waterfront site and civic setting and connections
• Creating a museum, which is as much a bridge between cultures as a treasure house – enriching lives and providing an unprecedented learning environment
• Respect for the natural environment, encouraging environmentally sound technologies
• Creating architecture that combines social purpose with design excellence

Media enquiries regarding the competition

Catherine Reading
[email protected]
+ 44 (0)20 7831 2998

Media enquiries regarding the Art Mill project and Qatar Museums

Rania Hussein
[email protected]
+ 974 4402 8535

Competition enquiries

Jayne Broomhall
[email protected]
+ 44 (0)20 7831 2998