Architect Lina Ghotmeh Selected to Design Qatar's Pavilion in Giardini of La Biennale Di Venezia

HE Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, on Tuesday announced that renowned architect Lina Ghotmeh, founder and principal of the Paris-based studio Lina Ghotmeh - Architecture, has been chosen through an international competition to design the Qatar Pavilion in the Giardini of La Biennale di Venezia.

The Qatar Pavilion will be located in the heart of the Giardini on a site adjacent to the iconic Book Pavilion and will be commissioned by HE Sheikha Al Mayassa on behalf of the State of Qatar. When completed, it will be only the third Pavilion added in more than fifty years to the historic and prestigious Giardini.

HE Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, expressed her sincere thanks to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for his support in completing this project, which strengthens Qatari-Italian relations in the arts and culture fields.

Her Excellency also expressed her gratitude to the Italian government for facilitating the establishment of the Qatari pavilion, which further supports the cultural ties between the two countries.

Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa said, "I extend my warmest congratulations to Lina Ghotmeh on receiving the commission for the Qatar Pavilion in the Giardini of La Biennale di Venezia. Her work is inspiring new and traditional audiences with its sensitivity to the human condition and its confident, innovative flair. Lina has a worldview and sensibility that has grown from her native Lebanon to reach across cultures. She has wholeheartedly embraced our vision for the Qatar Pavilion as a platform for the artistic, architectural, and cultural creativity of our nation and the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia." Lina Ghotmeh said, "My team and I are deeply honoured to have been chosen for this uniquely exciting and significant project. Qatar is a cultural beacon for the entire MENASA region. It is thrilling to be given this opportunity to design Qatar's Pavilion on the historic grounds of the Giardini of La Biennale di Venezia." Lina Ghotmeh was selected on the basis of a concept distinguished by its architectural clarity and thoughtful response to the Pavilion's historic context, creating a cultural bridge between Qatar and the global community. Exemplifying architecture's ability to engage with the public realm, the design blends seamlessly with the Pavilion's immediate landscape and the larger environment. Taking into account the contemporary art and architecture that it will house, the interior will be flexible and adaptable, enabling exhibitors to transform the space into their own creative visions.

A conversation between HE Sheikha Al Mayassa and Lina Ghotmeh, moderated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, will take place at ACP-Palazzo Franchetti on May 8.

(QNA)