Qatar Museums Architecture and Design Program returns for its January and February 2026 edition under the theme “Turning Vision Into a Universal Dialogue”, continuing the ongoing series launched alongside the I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture exhibition at ALRIWAQ.
The program brings together renowned architects, designers, and emerging talents from around the world through a dynamic schedule of lectures, workshops, screenings, and public events. These sessions explore the evolving conversations shaping contemporary architecture and design, offering audiences opportunities to engage directly with influential voices in the field.
This season features lectures and discussions with leading figures including Hashim Sarkis, Lina Ghotmeh, Ibrahim Jaidah, Bernard Khoury, David Goodman, and others. The program highlights innovative design strategies, creative practices, and interdisciplinary approaches that examine how architecture and design influence daily life, workspaces, and urban environments.
Key highlights include a lecture on Urban Shadow Connector by Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane on January 29, exploring their landmark design projects and spatial outcomes. On February 1, Angus Campbell will present a lecture on Adaptive Reuse for a Sustainable Future, focusing on retrofitting existing buildings to support net-zero carbon goals and urban revitalisation.
Film screenings form an important part of the program, including Doha Film Institute Screenings on February 22 featuring Maha’mel (2018), Al Tabbab (2020), and Gubgub (2018). On February 5, audiences can experience The Infinite Happiness, an immersive architectural film by Ila Beka and Louise Lemoine, offering an intimate look inside Copenhagen’s iconic 8 House residential complex designed by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group.
Additional lectures include Bas Smets on climatic landscape strategies on February 7, examining how landscape design can shape microclimates, and David Goodman on February 9 with Imprints of a World to Come, exploring the relationship between architectural practice, business, and organisational design.
The program will culminate on February 14, 2026, with a student exhibition presenting curated outcomes developed throughout the series, showcasing ideas, experiments, and dialogues explored during the program.
This year also marks Qatar Museums’ 20th anniversary, celebrated as part of Evolution Nation, a campaign curated by Qatar Creates that honours Qatar’s cultural journey over the past 50 years while highlighting its aspirations as a global hub for art, culture, and creativity.
