Qatar Museum Authority's Fire Station – leading contemporary art space and studios
Doha
Cultural
11.4.2015
Working on the Fire Station adaptive reuse project was very exciting for two reasons: first, as an artist and an architect, I saw this project through the lens of an artist but executed it thouigh my skills as an architect, I perceived this project as an expression of the the two passions that drive me.
Fire Station supports artists and curators at all stages of their careers through its extensive range of residency programmes offering working studio space, creative exchange and cultural enrichment in Qatar and overseas through Paris and New York international residencies.
Fire Station Doha: A Transformation
Once a working fire station, Fire Station Doha is now a leading contemporary art space and supporter of creative residencies. This transformation was led by Martin, who surveyed the original building in 2005 and oversaw its renovation until its opening in 2015.
The former Civil Defense HQ was an iconic building in Doha, having housed the city's main fire station and civil defense headquarters for twenty years. Martin's challenge was to repurpose this historic structure into a vibrant space for contemporary art.
The first step was to survey the building and assess its condition. Martin and his team carefully documented the original architecture and identified any areas that needed repair or reinforcement. They also considered how to best adapt the building's layout to its new purpose.
Once the survey was complete, Martin began to develop a design for the renovation. He wanted to create a space that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The new design included extensive artists' studios and workshops, a wood shop, a fabrication lab, a cinema, a cafe, a restaurant, and gallery spaces.
Martin and his team worked closely with Qatar Museums to ensure that the renovation was respectful of the building's history and heritage. They also made sure to incorporate sustainable design practices into the project.
The renovation of Fire Station Doha was a complex and challenging undertaking, but it was ultimately a success. Martin's vision for the space was realized, and Fire Station Doha is now a thriving hub for contemporary art and culture in Qatar.
As part of Qatar Museums' sustainability initiatives, the Fire Station building was awarded the 'LEED v4.1 EB: O+M Silver Certification' under the 'LEED v4.1 Existing Building: Operations & Management (EB: O+M)' rating system in 2020.
Also, in 2020, Fire Station successfully achieved 'GSAS OPERATIONS – Silver Certification' under the Gulf Organization for Research and Development green building rating system developed focusing on the efficient Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of existing facilities.
The Fire Station is the first LEED v4.1 EB: O+M certified project in the entire State of Qatar and the fifth in the Middle East region, and it is the first museum project to achieve GSAS Operations certification.
Qatar Museums was keen to preserve the original façade and many of its key features, thereby keeping much of the original integrity of the building intact.
