Experts engaged in discussion during the international conference and exhibition on Gulf architecture at Qatar National Library.
Qatar National Library held an international conference and exhibition on Gulf architecture recently.
It was organised in collaboration with Liverpool University’s School of Architecture, Qatar University’s Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Ibrahim Jaidah, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Architect, Arab Engineering Bureau.
The exhibition opened at the Library on October 10 and remained up for the rest of the month. This was followed by the conference.
These events announced the start of the Library’s recently-launched Gulf Architecture Project (GAP). GAP is a collaborative project between local and international partners to create an online digital collection of historical photographs, films and audio recordings, drawings, maps, and 3D models of the architectural heritage of Qatar and the Gulf region, with supporting research and publications, for the Qatar Digital Library (www.QDL.qa), the largest digital archive on the Middle East, operated by the Library.
Experts from ArCHIAM, a leading research center for the study of Islamic historical environments based at Liverpool University’s School of Architecture, are working with key members of Qatar’s architecture community to digitize international archival collections on Qatari and Gulf architecture for the Digital Library.
Key Qatari partners in this project include Ibrahim Jaidah, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Architect of the Arab Engineering Bureau; Mohammed Ali Abel, Head of the Architectural Department at the Private Engineering Office; Qatar University’s Department of Architecture and Urban Planning; Urban Planning Department of Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality and Environment; Qatar Foundation; and Qatar Museums.
The project’s conference brought together some of the world’s leading experts on Gulf architecture to present their latest work, share their expertise and attend the project’s exhibition. This year’s conference and exhibition were the second to be held at the Library, but the first since the project was launched.
Ibrahim Jaidah, said, “I am honoured to be invited to actively participate in this long-awaited project. As a member of the project’s Advisory Committee, I envision that the digital collection on Qatari and Gulf architecture will provide easily-accessible materials to the Qatar Digital Library’s national, regional and international audiences. It has always been my goal and I personally have tried to the best of my ability to archive materials on, not only the architecture of the pre-oil period, but also the architecture of the early modern period of Qatar.”
The Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning (DAUP) at Qatar University, Dr Fodil Fadli, said, “DAUP is pleased to collaborate in this important project’s research and scholarly activities and to support its annual conference. DAUP faculty, staff and students will be an important part of this project, devoting their experience, knowledge and motivation to make it a success. It will offer them a stage to showcase their recent projects, expertise and experience in digitizing Qatar’s architectural heritage.”
Among other topics, speakers at the conference discussed the importance and the role of digitization and public awareness about the preservation of architectural heritage, including Qatar’s early modern architecture from 1950s to 1970s.
