Doha, Qatar: Qatar Museums, QM, is proud to present the January and February edition of Architecture and Design - Turning Vision into a Universal Dialogue, part of the ongoing series launched alongside the I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture exhibition at ALRIWAQ.
The program brings together leading architects, designers, and emerging talents from around the world, and offers lectures, workshops, and public events that explore the evolving conversations shaping contemporary architecture and design.
This season features a vibrant mix of lectures, screenings and workshops, highlighting innovative ideas, design strategies, and creative practices from across disciplines.
Each session invites audiences to engage directly with experts including Hashim Sarkis, David Goodman, Lina Ghotmeh, Ibrahim Jaidah, Bernard Khoury, discover new perspectives, and reflect on how architecture and design influence the way we live, work, and experience our cities.
The program will culminate on February 14, 2026 with a special student exhibition presenting a curated selection of outcomes developed throughout Architecture and Design - Turning Vision into a Universal Dialogue, tracing the ideas, processes, and exchanges that unfolded over the course of the program and capturing not only the final works, but also the questions, experiments, and dialogues that shaped them.
The line-up of program includes three Doha Film Institute Screenings on February 22 - Tradition and Culture: Maha’mel (2018) | Dhabya Al Muhannadi | Documentary Al Tabbab (2020) | Khalifa Al-Mana | Animation Gubgub (2018) | Nouf Al-Sulaiti
The program includes a lecture on urban shadow connector by Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane on January 29.
This lecture examines Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane's design approach through the lens of one of their landmark projects, highlighting the original design intentions alongside the resulting spatial, functional, and aesthetic outcomes.
On February 1, Angus Campbell will deliver a lecture on adaptive reuse for a sustainable future. Retrofitting existing buildings is key to achieving net-zero carbon targets, enhancing performance, extending building life, and revitalising cities.
The visitors will join an immersive and unconventional architectural film experience on Februray 5, with The Infinite Happiness, directed by Ila Beka and Louise Lemoine. The film takes audiences inside the acclaimed "8 House" residential complex designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group in Copenhagen, a project celebrated as a new model for contemporary living. Based on the filmmakers' month-long immersion within this experimental "vertical village," the film weaves together a mosaic of residents' life stories, revealing the building through an intimate, human-centred lens. By mapping everyday experiences and social interactions, Beka and Lemoine examine the ambitions and contradictions of this innovative housing model, ultimately questioning architecture's ability to foster community and collective happiness.
On February 7, there will be a Lecture on climatic landscape strategies by Bas Smets, exploring how landscape design can actively shape microclimates to improve outdoor comfort for humans, animals, and plant life. The talk will examine design strategies that work with natural processes, such as water, wind, vegetation, and topography, rather than against them, demonstrating how landscapes can become resilient and performative systems that respond to environmental conditions and climatic challenges.
On February 9, there will a lecture titled Imprints of a World to Come: On Architectural Practice, Business, and Organization Design by David Goodman. Architects often see business as separate from design, yet the built environment ultimately depends on economic forces to move from concept to construction. This lecture explores that tension, using historical perspectives and insights from creative organisations to show how the success and survival of architectural practices are shaped by business strategy, innovation, and an understanding of when fitting in matters more than standing out.
This year, Qatar Museums is celebrating its 20th anniversary. This milestone year is marked by Evolution Nation - a campaign honouring Qatar’s cultural journey over the past 50 years, since the founding of the National Museum of Qatar. Curated by Qatar Creates, the national movement positioning Qatar as a global hub for art, culture, and creativity, Evolution Nation highlights both the nation's cultural milestones and its aspirations for the future.
