CHAIRMAN: DR. KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: DR. KHALID MUBARAK AL-SHAFI

Qatar

Qatari-inspired architectural designs on display at Katara

Published: 20 Sep 2019 - 12:21 pm | Last Updated: 01 Nov 2021 - 06:07 am
Syrian artist and architect, Muhannad Barakat (right), explains one of his works to Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara, at the opening of his exhibition dubbed “Art of Nature in the Qatari Architecture” which opened on Wednesday

Syrian artist and architect, Muhannad Barakat (right), explains one of his works to Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara, at the opening of his exhibition dubbed “Art of Nature in the Qatari Architecture” which opened on Wednesday

By Raynald C Rivera / The Peninsula

Qatari-inspired architectural designs by Syrian artist Muhannad Barakat are being featured in an exhibition dubbed “Art of Nature in the Qatari Architecture” which opened on Wednesday at Gallery 1 of Katara Building 22.

Detailed designs of a wide array of structures including a mosque, a villa and a building façade as well as a sculpture and waterfall, in addition to specific parts of a building like windows, seat wall, traditional house’s front door and entrance gate, all bearing Qatari elements are on display at the exhibition. They are presented in the form of dioramas, sculptures, photographs and artistic renderings using different materials.

“The idea of the exhibition is to integrate the original Qatari architecture into the nature of Qatar through a study of Qatari nature and its effects and natural elements that characterise it, in addition to studying the aesthetics and historical origins of architecture and integrating them with engineering,” said Barakat.

Barakat’s painstaking studies have resulted to stunning designs which combine traditional geometric patterns and elements drawn from Qatari environment which make up key attributes of traditional Qatari design.

Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara expressed his admiration on the artist’s idea of integrating nature with traditional Qatari architecture and preserving the shapes and patterns that distinguish it from others.

“Creative ideas produce beautiful art, which can develop around us in an innovative and beautiful way,” he said, pointing out that such exhibitions in Katara display diverse artistic experiences that contribute to the exchange of ideas among artists and support unique artistic ideas.

He stressed that the doors of Katara are always open to all artists in various fields of arts.

The objects on show don’t only reveal design aspects like lines, shapes, colours, texture and depth, but also how they serve practical functions in Qatari life such as a traditional house’s front door designed to allow entry of sunlight and moonlight and a villa with a large open courtyard to let air circulate around the villa.

Eye-catching among the designs are a  modern sculptural interpretation of traditional Qatari dhow, a waterfall inspired by the name of Father Amir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and a building façade designed after the ancient Barzan Towers.

Born in Doha in 1987, the artist graduated from Damascus University in 2008 from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture. He is the general manager of Baroque Design and Build Company known for its imaginative and modern style in design. This exhibition follows the success of Barakat’s solo show titled ‘Conceptual Architecture Inspired by Nature and its Phenomena’ hosted in the same gallery last year. It is open from 10am to 10pm until September 28 at Building 22.