The Museum of Islamic Art
The Museum of Islamic Art was created by I.M. Pei which is located on the Doha harbor. The building seems to be floating on the water. The museum not only has Islamic art but it also includes prayer rooms and a library. Even though there is a prayer room, the institution does not consider itself religious. The outside of the museum has an Arabic and modern twist. I.M.Pei kept with his geometric shapes, which he seems to be known for, but also added the middle eastern look, he used the influence of the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo to create this feel.
The majority of the building on the outside is made of limestone and is very plain looking, not extremely extravagant. However, the inside is impressive with beautiful architectural details. When entering the visitors are introduced to a huge set of staircases and pearly white carved ceilings. The building stands five stories tall and at the top lies atrium.
I.M. Pei did a wonderful job with creating a building that captured the Islamic culture but keep the modernism of the smooth edges and geometric shapes. As he has with many of his works he also adds in the natural surroundings. Similarly to the Suzhou Museum, another Pei wonder, he brings the water right up to the buildings where it seems to make the building blend in with the scenery. Yet, his work still stands out as something very beautiful.
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