AL MAHA ISLAND MASTERPLAN UNVEILED DURING ART BASEL 2026
Herzog & de Meuron unveils the masterplan to transform Al Maha Island, a 230,000sqm man-made island established in Lusail, Qatar, in 2022. Presented during the 2026 Art Basel in Basel by Jacques Herzog, Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz, the project reimagines the site as a premier cultural and residential district where contemporary architecture, art, design, gastronomy and community converge. The sweeping masterplan encompasses the Swiss architecture studio’s bowl-shaped Lusail Museum, a permanent home for Art Basel Qatar future editions, a contemporary souk, verdant gardens, restaurants, a boutique hotel, and an array of waterfront villas, hilltop homes, and townhouses.
Initially unveiled in 2024, the Lusail Museum will serve as the cultural anchor for both the island and the broader Lusail City. This world-class institution will function as a platform for cultural diplomacy, providing a dynamic setting for discourse on the historic and contemporary exchanges that shape global cultures. ‘When the museum was first presented, it was in a different location, but because of the purity of the building and the importance of the collection, it was moved to Al Maha Island,’ explained Sheikha Al-Mayassa during the intimate gathering in Basel.‘This is one of the few places where foreigners can acquire houses and land, so we developed the whole island to be an ecosystem of residential areas, a boutique hotel, as well as a little souk combining modernity with tradition.’
aerial wide view of Al Maha Island | all renderings © Herzog and de Meuron
SHAPED BY QATAR’S HISTORY, LANDSCAPE AND TYPOLOGIES
Situated near the historic area where Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, the founder of modern Qatar, established his home in the late 1800s, Al Maha Island represents a contemporary vision deeply rooted in the region’s heritage. Throughout the masterplan, expected to break ground in 2028, Herzog & de Meuron employs vernacular typologies and distinct architectural languages tailored to the island’s diverse residential, commercial, and cultural zones. Regional traditions are reflected throughout the design, from courtyard houses and townhouses linked by narrow, shaded streets and walled gardens, to monolithic, earthen-like structures that appear to rise organically from the ground itself.‘This island is man-made, and land-making, or building a piece of a city, has a totally different connotation here,’ noted Jacques Herzog.‘We want this to be integrated into the project concept and the buildings to be made with local materials, such as sand and rock, so that it feels like a whole piece, not just something we brought in.’
Nature plays a pivotal role in the island’s experiential design. A series of ‘gem’ gardens are strategically woven into the landscape, offering moments of contemplation and natural points of orientation. To promote and rejuvenate native ecosystems, the project will collaborate with local nurseries and initiatives focused on indigenous species, such as those championed by the Qatar Foundation.‘The gardens should be as specific as each individual building,’ Herzog emphasized.‘We cannot turn this into a golf resort; we have specific gem gardens surrounded by landscapes which are more traditional to what grows around Doha. Every single piece of nature should be precisely integrated.’ The Arabian oryx, a species native to the peninsula, will also be integrated into the landscape experience.‘Al Maha means oryx in Arabic, and the oryx is the symbol of our national airline,’ Sheikha Al-Mayassa added.‘More importantly, had it not been for Qatar, these animals would have been extinct, so we’re very proud of them.’
‘gem’ gardens are strategically woven into the landscape
WATERFRONT RESIDENCES AND A PERMANENT HOME FOR ART BASEL
Connectivity to Doha and Lusail will be facilitated through water transport, as well as dedicated vehicle and pedestrian bridges. Thanks to the island’s subtly elevated, hill-shaped terrain, all infrastructure will be subterranean. This ensures a traffic-free, pedestrian-friendly surface level while preserving uninterrupted sightlines toward the water and its surrounding reefs. The island’s residential zone will feature over 150 units, spanning waterfront houses, hilltop villas, townhouses, and apartments, while a boutique hotel is also being planned.
Once a year, the island will host Art Basel Qatar, the latest and most substantial addition to the country’s cultural calendar following its inaugural edition last February. Rather than confining the event to a traditional convention hall, the vision for the permanent exhibition space embraces the entire island. Planners have envisioned a scenario where the Al Maha bridge serves as the gateway to the fair, transforming the wider ecosystem, down to the local restaurants, into an immersive, island-wide experience. This expanded footprint turns Al Maha into a creative playground to rethink the future of the art fair, a concept that resonates deeply with its leadership.‘We are profoundly excited coming out of this co-creation,’ says Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz.‘We are not just plugging into something that exists; we are truly building something with partners. Tracking the cycles of our industry, creating deep and meaningful connections with new regions, artists, and institutions is one of the most exciting things we can do.’