The National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) has expanded its onsite offerings with the addition of a new restaurant, Jiwan. Sydney-based Koichi Takada Architects crafted the space in homage to the nation’s rich history and pearl diving legacy, as well as complementing French architect Jean Nouvel’s overall vision for the museum, which opened in 2019.
“Throughout the design process, we learned a lot about Qatar’s culture and history,” says principal Koichi Takada. “We drew inspiration from what the pearl represents in the country’s history and a significant cultural symbol with the word ‘Jiwan’ meaning ‘perfect pearl’ in Qatari.”
Equipped to accommodate 130 guests in the dining room—as well as an additional 130 guests across the terrace—Jiwan radiates luminescent rose-tinted white hues across its curvaceous walls that harken to the shape of an oyster shell. Reminiscent of sunlight glittering across the surface of the tides, a chandelier comprising more than four million crystals also glistens overhead.
Plush armchairs in muted tones line the interior akin to the dunes of Khor Al Adaid, while carpeting underfoot shifts from orange to light turquoise to recall the point where the sea meets the shore. “Jiwan is a narrative of Qatar’s history and unique landscape,” continues Takada. “Its interiors are ‘desertscapes,’ carefully curated to tell the story of Qatar from its pearl trading roots through to its nomadic lifestyle and exceptional, undeveloped natural beauty.”
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