Arched | Doha Boutique Hotel Competition

Neri&Hu is invited to participate in an international architectural competition which seeks to transform an existing government office building in Doha into a boutique hotel with vibrant art programs. The design begins with informed studies of the cultural heritage of Qatar, so that any contemporary interventions would respect, echo and extend the local history. The courtyard, a local architectural type, welcomes residents and visitors as a shared space prior to entering the domestic space; meanwhile, the archway signifies the arrival to a destination. By reinterpreting these two vernacular typologies, Neri&Hu envisions an arched courtyard to create interlocked yet varied spaces that dematerialize the boundaries between the old and new, exterior and interior. An open ground floor replaces the existing base; landscape and architecture are interweaved, including spaces for chance encounters between locals, hotel guests and artists alike.