Qatar Museums restores historic palace

The historic palace of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, the father of modern Qatar, has been restored to its glory, Qatar Museums announced yesterday.

The Old Palace, which took three years to restore, will sit at the centre of new National Museum of Qatar, designed by Atelier Jean Nouvel.

Honouring traditions of the past and embracing the future, the palace will be a fitting central exhibit when the museum opens.

One of Doha's most recognisable landmarks, the building serves as a monument to an historic way of life in Qatar. Restored and refurbished numerous times since it was built, the texture and fabric of the building tells a rich story about Qatar's progress and development over the past 100 years.

H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson, Qatar Museums (QM) Board of Trustees, said, "I'm immensely proud of all that has been achieved in restoring the palace so faithfully.

The building is an incredible monument to our history and traditions and highlights our country's rapid progress and development.

"When completed, the futuristic, iconic, world-class design of the new museum will perfectly complement the palace."

The building is unique in its historical significance. Built during the early 20th century by Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani, the palace has served as a family residence and the seat of government.

In 1975, the former National Museum of Qatar opened its doors in the restored palace, featuring artefacts and exhibits celebrating the country's history, heritage, culture and environment.

In 1980, the building won the Agha Khan award for restoration and rehabilitation of Islamic architecture.

Several architectural features have been incorporated into the original design since the 1970s and provide insights into and lessons on the development of Qatari craftsmanship. Additional elements have been added during this time to improve the building's overall structural integrity.

The project was conceived and designed by QM as a contemporary restoration project, rather than reconstruction.

QM engaged Ziegert Roswag Seiler Architekten Ingenieure, a specialist practice that focuses on the development of sustainable building solutions using natural building materials. Work was supervised and managed by specialists on site and carried out in collaboration with QM.

The project required detailed and specialised knowledge of historic building techniques and materials used in the construction of the palace and a commitment to strengthen and develop local construction practices through the restoration process.

A team of local artisans was trained in restoration and worked with the project team. Specially developed training included workshops on subjects ranging from wood treatment, restoration of ornaments and painted ceilings to treatment of historic plaster surfaces.