A home is a sanctuary. The word itself deeply resonates with us and brings a feeling of security and belonging. And when one no longer occupies a house, especially of historic value, will it evoke the same emotions? 

With our technical and museographic implementation, we adaptively reused historic houses in the Msheireb neighborhood to tell the story of Qatar’s heritage. The transformation of 4 distinct houses into thematic museums occupy a total of 3,000 m2. Each one of them highlights a unique aspect of Qatari life at the turn of the 20th century. These topics are local traditions, decoration, the role of oil and slavery.

From daily life activities to discussing difficult conversations, the museum seeks to create transparency. We help to tell its story through a variety of rich mediums such as historical reconstructions, animations, artifacts, interactive mediums and furniture pieces. Each exhibit serves a role to animate the past such as celebrating the achievements of oil workers and recreating the historic neighborhood. It helps to foster an appreciation of how far a nation has come in facing the challenges of the past. 

Discussing all aspects of heritage is crucial for an inclusive environment. Our contribution to the project fosters collective belonging and social cohesion.